More than 5,000 protesters celebrated Mother's Day with a march from Charter Garden to government headquarters demanding more small classes in schools.

Braving the year's first amber rainstorm warning, teachers, parents and students urged the government to divert funds saved from the declining student population to small-class teaching.

One mother, Ip Kwai-kwan, said teachers can better serve the needs of individual students in smaller classes of no more than 25 students, instead of the ``normal'' classes of 40.

``We are determined to get small-class teaching. I want to tell the government that, even though it is raining,'' she said.

Organizers of the rally, including the Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union, gave each mother a carnation.

Protesters also tied a yellow ribbon around their arms, symbolizing their demand for smaller classes.

Union president Cheung Man-kwong said they will keep staging peaceful protests until the government heeds their call.

``We had 5,000 protesters turn up even though there is an amber rainstorm warning. This shows that we really want smaller classes.

``The student population is declining and this is a good chance to introduce small-class teaching without creating an extra financial burden. The government does not need to cut classes and close schools,'' he said.

A native English-speaking teacher from Australia, Ros Plowright, who has been teaching in the SAR for nine months, said large class sizes affect education quality.

Plowright said class sizes in Australia had been reduced from about 40 in the 1960s to under 25. ``I am surprised by the large class size in Hong Kong. It is disgusting,'' she said.

``Activity-based learning programs cannot be conducted in a large class. A smaller class makes learning more enjoyable for students.''

About 40 teachers from Sun Fong Chung Primary School took part in the rally. Vice principal Lo Sau-chee criticized the government for postponing the implementation of small-class teaching.

The school has participated in a government pilot scheme for small-class teaching in Primary One classes.

The scheme, launched in 37 schools, reduces classes from 40 to 25 students.

``Primary One students find learning more enjoyable.

``Students have more chances to ask questions and respond to teachers,'' she said.

Primary Two student Wang Youyuan said smaller classes can reduce teachers' workloads.

``Teachers will then have more time to concentrate on individual students. Their job will also be easier,'' he said.

His mother, Lisa Husmann-Wang, said a class of more than 30 is too much for teachers. ``It is difficult for teachers to conduct activities other than giving and collecting assignments in a large class,'' she said.

A teacher, surnamed Mo, said it is difficult to teach a large class.

``Each lesson only has 35 minutes. Teachers can only spend a maximum of one minute a student. It is ridiculous,'' he said.

Permanent Secretary for Education and Manpower Fanny Law said it is reasonable for the government to reduce the number of classes and save the money for other areas of need.

She said the reduction of classes had saved HK$550 million over the past four years.

However, the government needs to spend HK$500 million on teachers' salary increments and pensions.

In the next school year, the government will launch a scheme that provides designated teachers for Chinese, English and Mathematics.

Schools will need to hire 900 more teachers at a cost of HK$250 million a year.

Law said spending for primary and secondary education has also been increased from HK$18.2 billion in the 1996-97 school year to an estimated HK$30 billion in 2005-06.

A spokesman for the bureau said the government supports small-class teaching as a means to improve education quality.

However, the practice should proceed progressively and strategically, with adequate professional support for teachers to maximize the benefits of small classes.

``We believe small-class teaching is not simply a matter of reducing the number of students in a class,'' the spokesman said.

``There needs to be professional support for teachers in curriculum design, and in the flexible use of [principles and methods of instruction] and activities to cater for individual learning differences.

``Further, the pilot study entails rigorous evaluation to assess the impact of small-class teaching and assure value for money.

``We do not accept using small classes as a means to resolve the problem of surplus teachers,'' the spokesman said. He said the government resolved the problem of surplus teachers for the past few years and did not anticipate any problems this year.

teddy.ng@singtaonewscorp.com