Media

“The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study” (PIRLS) is an international large-scale reading assessment organised by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). PIRLS has been conducted every five years to assess, compare and track the reading achievement of primary four students globally. Fifty-seven countries and regions participated in PIRLS 2021 study, with approximately 320,000 students, their parents, teachers, and principals. Hong Kong has participated in the study since the first cycle in 2001, and this is the fifth cycle Hong Kong has participated.

The Centre for Advancement of Chinese Language Education and Research (CACLER) of the Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong (HKU), has been sponsored or commissioned by the Education Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to conduct the PIRLS research in Hong Kong for five consecutive cycles. The research team will organise the “PIRLS 2021 International Report (Hong Kong Section) Press Conference”, and the following features will be reported in the press conference:

1. Hong Kong students’ reading achievement and its international ranking, comparison of Hong Kong students’ reading achievement with other countries or regions;
2. Tracking the changes of Hong Kong students’ reading achievement across two decades;
3. Strengths and areas for development for Hong Kong students’ reading; and
4. Factors relating to Hong Kong students’ reading achievement, including:

• Hong Kong students’ reading confidence, reading motivation, reading interest, and habits;
• Hong Kong students’ family background; and
• Impact of the epidemic on primary students' reading achievement and learning and teaching of Chinese reading in Hong Kong.

Members of the media are invited to attend the event. Details are as follows:

Date:            May 17, 2023 (Wednesday)
Time:           10:00 am – 12:00 nn
Venue:         Room 408-410, 4/F, Meng Wah Complex, HKU, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Speaker:     
Dr Lam Wai Ip, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, HKU and Principal Investigator of PIRLS 2021 Hong Kong Section
Professor Tse Shek Kam, Investigator of PIRLS 2021 Hong Kong Section
Dr Cheong Choo Mui, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, HKU and Investigator of PIRLS 2021 Hong Kong Section
Language:  Cantonese

A brief summary and tables of this research project are attached for reference.

For more details of “PIRLS 2021 Hong Kong” Project, please visit https://www.cacler.hku.hk/hk/research/project/pirls_2021.

For media enquiries, please contact Dr Lam Wai Ip, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, HKU,  PIRLS 2021 Hong Kong Research Coordinator, and Principal Investigator (Tel: 3917 5282 / Email: jwilam@hku.hk / Fax: 2517 4403), or Dr Ng Hung Wai, PIRLS 2021 Hong Kong Project Manager (Tel: 3917 5694 / Email: rexnghw@hku.hk / Fax: 2517 4403), or, Ms Emily Cheung, Senior Manager (Development and Communications), Faculty of Education, HKU (Tel: 3917 4270 / Email: emchy@hku.hk).