The majority of Hong Kong's working population feel the need to improve their English abilities, a survey has revealed.

About 90 percent of the 1,800 employees surveyed by the Institute of Professional Education And Knowledge (PEAK), a section of the Vocational Training Council, said there is a need for them to improve their English.

The academic levels of the respondents who came from different sectors ranged from Secondary Five to university.

Eighty-five percent of the respondents had to use English at work.

Close to 80 percent said they were not confident in their English abilities and about 70 percent felt their English was not as good as their colleagues'.

Despite the findings, only 37 percent had taken English courses since they left school.

Lawrence Chan, Director of PEAK, pointed out that many employees are too busy to take courses. The only option for these employees, Chan said, is to spend more time listening to English conversations and reading English books.

He recommended that people should start from watching English news programs on television for at least half an hour a day, and move on to watching movies later.

He urged employees to keep learning English after their graduation.

(HK Edition 05/16/2008 page1)