1. Introduction
Macao is an important force in promoting the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and its development, prosperity, and stability are closely related to the country’s reform, opening, and modernization [
1]. Education, as the cornerstone of social development, has a decisive impact on the growth of the young generation and the long-term implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” policy. Therefore, under the background of globalization and regional integration, the adjustment and improvement of Macao’s education policy is not only related to the cultivation of talent in the region but also the key to the enhancement of the country’s social structure and competitiveness. Current studies on Macao’s education policy mainly focus on the fields of higher education, civic education, and language education, and the main direction of these studies is to focus on the history and analysis of the current situation. However, most of these studies focus on descriptive analyses of policies, and there is a relative lack of in-depth discussion on the evaluation of the effects of education policies in implementation and their social impact. Although the existing literature provides a multidimensional perspective of Macao’s education policies, the specific impact and effectiveness assessment of the policies after implementation is less addressed. Systematic studies on how education policies affect socioeconomic development and how to promote regional integration through education reform are still scarce. At the same time, existing studies mostly rely on qualitative analyses in terms of methodology and lack the support of quantitative analyses. This study analyzes in depth the historical evolution of education policies and their impact on society by systematically combing the policy addresses of Macau since the handover [
2]. The study will adopt text-mining techniques and quantitative analysis tools, such as the policy modeling consistency (PMC) index, to assess the efficacy of education policies [
3,
4]. In addition, by constructing a multidimensional data model, the theoretical contribution of this study is to build a multidimensional assessment framework integrating qualitative and quantitative analyses to provide a new perspective for understanding and evaluating Macao’s education policies. Methodologically, PMC index and text mining techniques are introduced to provide a more scientific and systematic evaluation tool for policy analysis [
5]. The results of this study will provide policy makers with empirical evidence to support the optimization and strategic adjustment of education policies in Macao and the entire Greater Bay Area.
This study analyzes the development lineage of Macau’s education policy through a literature review combing the theoretical foundations of education policy and previous research results [
6]. The development and change of education policy in the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) has always been a focus of attention in the academic community. Research on Macao’s education policy covers a wide range of topics, from historical evolution to current challenges and future directions [
7]. A review of several related studies shows that Macao’s education policy has demonstrated multidimensional complexity in response to globalization, regional integration, technological advancement, and social change [
8,
9]. The evolution of Macao’s education policy has been deeply influenced by multiple factors, including political, economic, and cultural factors, and it has played an important role in promoting socioeconomic development, upgrading the quality of education, supporting the development of teachers, and fostering educational equity and social inclusion [
10,
11,
12].
Macao as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, geographically located on the southern coast near the Pearl River Delta, neighboring Hong Kong and Guangdong province. This transition established the “One Country, Two Systems” framework, allowing Macao to retain its unique legal and administrative system while being part of China. Macao’s bilingual educational landscape, shaped by both Chinese and Portuguese influences, presents unique policy challenges in language education, inclusivity, and cultural integration. Highlight the emphasis on Portuguese–Chinese bilingual education, which aligns with Macao’s historical background and aids in its international positioning. Macao’s commitment to aligning educational goals with the Greater Bay Area’s regional development strategy, focusing on vocational training, technological integration, and innovation. This strategic alignment gives Macao’s educational policies a broader role, contributing to regional economic cooperation and talent development within a highly integrated urban network. Quantitative approaches to evaluating education policy, like the PMC index model, are becoming increasingly prominent in policy analysis. Additionally, Macao’s experience can serve as a valuable model for other multilingual and multicultural regions exploring similar methodologies for their policy evaluations.
Macao’s education policies are shaped by a unique combination of historical, socioeconomic, political, and cultural factors. The region’s bilingual legacy, stemming from its Portuguese colonial history, continues to influence policies that support both Chinese and Portuguese languages, creating a culturally inclusive educational environment. Additionally, Macao’s economy, heavily reliant on gaming and tourism, necessitates workforce-aligned educational strategies, particularly in language education and vocational training. As a member of the Greater Bay Area (GBA), Macao aligns many of its education policies with GBA initiatives to foster regional cooperation and talent development.
Another significant factor is the need to foster a strong sense of national identity within the “One Country, Two Systems” framework. Education policies in Macao thus include elements of patriotic education and cultural integration. Furthermore, the pressures of globalization and rapid technological change have driven policies towards incorporating digital skills and STEM education, ensuring that students are prepared for the demands of a modern, globalized workforce”.
In summary, this study focuses on how to effectively evaluate and analyze, from a multidimensional perspective, the education policies issued in the MSAR over the past 25 years since the handover. The value of this study lies in describing and analyzing the focus of existing policies and their strengths and weaknesses. On this basis, this study aims to provide recommendations for the formulation and improvement of education policies in Macao. In addition, the results of this study can also provide lessons for policymakers to optimize education policies. The innovation of this study is the introduction of the policy modeling consistency (PMC) index model and its extension to construct a system of policy evaluation indicators with education policy characteristics by combining it with text mining methodology, thus making the policy evaluation results more reliable and the analysis more in-depth. The model was also used for the first time to analyze Macao’s education policies quantitatively.
The contribution of this study is twofold: firstly, this study contributes to enriching the body of knowledge on education policy evaluation; secondly, by expanding the sample size of policies, taking education policy clusters as the object of study, and constructing an extended PMC index model, this study provides an objective and comprehensive quantitative evaluation of these education policies, which provides a reference basis for the formulation, optimization, and improvement of education policies in the future.
The rest of the paper is structured as follows.
Section 2 presents the literature review;
Section 3 describes the research methodology, including the research design and the specific process of constructing the extended PMC index model;
Section 4 discusses the results; and
Section 5 presents the main conclusions and policy recommendations.
2. Literature Review
2.1. Analysis of Macao Education Research Themes
Macao’s education policy has been significantly shaped by its historical, political, and economic context [
13]. Bray and Koo [
14] compared the educational language policies of Hong Kong and Macao, highlighting the complexities of power relations postcolonial transition, with a particular focus on how these policies reflect the intricate interplay between politics and economics. Cheong [
15] further illustrated this by analyzing the development of Chinese education in Macao during the first half of the 20th century, emphasizing the impact of political shifts on educational policy. Lo [
16] examined the evolution of neoliberal and nationalist discourses in postcolonial Macao’s higher education policies, demonstrating the dynamic nature of education policy in response to sociopolitical changes. Lopes [
17] and Zhang [
18] explored specific historical instances, such as the migration of schools to Macao during the Sino-Japanese War and the 19th-century translation training at St. Joseph’s Seminary, to underscore the flexibility and adaptability of Macao’s education policies in unique historical contexts. Macao’s higher education system plays a crucial role in regional economic cooperation and social development, but it also faces significant challenges. Van Schalkwyk and Hoi [
19] discovered that Macao’s youth perceive higher education primarily as a networking opportunity rather than merely a means of acquiring knowledge, reflecting the unique social function of higher education in Macao. Zhang [
20] identified language challenges faced by Mainland Chinese students in academic and non-academic settings in Macao, highlighting the linguistic complexities within higher education. Wang et al. [
21] and Zhang et al. [
12] analyzed the strategic role of Macao’s higher education in the regional economy, particularly its involvement in the development of the Hengqin region, and emphasized the critical importance of higher education in fostering regional talent hubs. Oleksiyenko and Liu [
22] explored the internationalization of higher education in Macao, especially its role in fostering innovation and collaboration within the Greater Bay Area, underscoring Macao’s pivotal position in regional educational cooperation.
Evaluating the efficiency and quality of Macao’s education policy is essential for understanding its broader impacts [
23]. Thieme et al. [
24] provided a comparative analysis of educational efficiency using PISA 2006 data from 54 countries, offering a global benchmark that can inform Macao’s policy assessments. Ho and Gan [
25] found that teacher support and adaptive teaching strategies significantly enhance student reading performance, particularly in Asia, providing practical insights for improving educational quality in Macao. Zhang et al. [
26] examined the effectiveness of industry-education integration within the Greater Bay Area, highlighting Macao’s superior performance in regional education collaboration. Zhou and Wang [
27] analyzed PISA 2012 data to understand the study habits of Chinese students, emphasizing the importance of traditional values like hard work, which is relevant to Macao’s educational context. Zhang et al. [
28] proposed a strategic approach to educational cooperation within the Greater Bay Area aimed at fostering AI talent, further illustrating Macao’s role in driving technological innovation through education policy. Macao’s education policy must adapt to future challenges by focusing on global integration, regional cooperation, and technological innovation. Finally, Chen et al. [
29] underscored the need for flexible education policies that can quickly respond to market demands and regional development trends, ensuring that Macao’s education system remains competitive and relevant in a rapidly changing world.
Macao’s education policy also faces challenges in ensuring educational equity and social inclusion, particularly in a multicultural and socio-economically diverse society [
30]. Monteiro et al. [
31] highlighted the inadequacies in the preparation of private school teachers to meet the needs of students requiring special education, pointing to a significant gap in training and resource allocation. Teixeira et al. [
32] revealed that while Macao teachers generally support inclusive education policies, they have concerns about parental choices and the adequacy of teacher training, underscoring the practical challenges in policy implementation. Kuok et al. [
33] found that teachers in inclusive schools face emotional exhaustion and cognitive workload issues, indicating that educational policies must address teacher well-being to ensure successful inclusion. Leong [
34] explored the broader implications of resource shortages in healthcare, drawing parallels to the education sector, where similar challenges in resource allocation could impact educational equity and quality. Chan and Jheng [
35] identified social and psychological adaptation issues among Macao students in Taiwan, suggesting that cross-regional educational cooperation must also consider the social inclusion of students to promote comprehensive educational equity. The integration of technology in education is increasingly critical for Macao’s education policy to remain relevant and effective. Zou et al. [
36] demonstrated the effectiveness of an online course development model during the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly enhanced the online teaching capabilities of Macao’s educators, highlighting the role of technology in modernizing education. Kio and Negreiros [
37] found that online communication platforms can improve learning experiences, particularly in special education, suggesting that education policies should further promote the use of technology to enhance educational outcomes. To et al. [
38] noted that the usability and practicality of educational software significantly influence student engagement, indicating the need for careful selection and implementation of educational technologies in policy frameworks. Huang and Zhang [
39] discovered that student personality traits, such as extroversion, affect their engagement in gamified learning environments, emphasizing the importance of considering individual differences when integrating technology into education. Amaro and Pires [
40] highlighted the tension between AI efficiency and humanistic concerns in education, suggesting that policies must balance technological advancements with the preservation of human-centric educational values.
Internationalization and cross-cultural adaptation are central to Macao’s education policy, particularly as the city increasingly positions itself within the global education network [
41]. Yang and Cao [
42] analyzed the cooperation between Hong Kong, Macao, and Guangdong, emphasizing the role of internationalization in fostering innovation and collaboration, which is crucial for Macao’s educational advancement. Choi and Bae [
43] found that short-term international education programs significantly enhance students’ cross-cultural interests and competencies, highlighting the importance of expanding international education opportunities within Macao’s policy agenda. Lee et al. [
44] identified language adaptation as a major challenge for Macao students studying in Mainland China, underscoring the need for policies that support linguistic and cultural adaptation in cross-border education contexts. Suntikul and Jachna [
45] examined the educational value of cultural heritage tourism in Macao, proposing that such initiatives can be leveraged to enhance cultural education within an international framework. Neto et al. [
46] demonstrated that cultural differences significantly impact self-assessed intelligence among students, suggesting that education policies should consider cultural diversity to foster more inclusive and equitable learning environments.
Finally, the future direction of Macao’s education policy should be guided by a commitment to global and regional integration, continuous innovation, and the promotion of educational equity. As Lo et al. [
47] suggest, understanding the historical evolution of Macao’s education policy within the context of neoliberal and nationalist discourses can provide valuable insights for future policy development, particularly in balancing global trends with local needs. Ge [
48] emphasizes the importance of further integrating Macao’s educational strategies with regional economic initiatives, particularly within the Greater Bay Area, to enhance the city’s role in regional development. Tagulao et al. [
49] argue for the internationalization and diversification of talent development strategies, which will be crucial for maintaining Macao’s competitiveness in a globalized economy. Chan [
50] highlights the need for sustained collaboration with neighboring regions to improve educational quality and support economic growth. Finally, Chau [
51] stresses the importance of flexibility in education policies to adapt to rapidly changing market demands, ensuring that Macao’s education system remains dynamic and responsive to future challenges.
Macao’s education policy studies cover a wide range of topics, including historical evolution, the role of higher education, educational efficiency, special educational needs, and cultural and linguistic adaptation [
52]. These studies demonstrate the multidimensional complexity and uniqueness of Macao’s education in facing the challenges of globalization and regional cooperation [
53]. Future studies should further explore the actual impact and implementation effects of these policies and pay attention to the far-reaching influence of cultural contexts on educational practices [
54]. By analyzing the above themes in detail, we can see that Macao’s education policies exhibit diversity and complexity in a few areas. From historical evolution to future development, from regional cooperation to educational equity, Macao’s education policies not only have to respond to local socioeconomic needs but also must be adapted and optimized in a wider regional and international context. These studies provide important empirical support and theoretical guidance for future education policy formulation in Macao, which should continue to focus on diversity, inclusiveness, and regional cooperation to ensure that Macao remains competitive in education development in the context of globalization.
2.2. Evolution of Policy Evaluation Methods
The evolution of methodologies in policy evaluation, such as Suchman’s five-category methodology [
55] and Wollmann’s classical approach [
56], underscores its maturation and diversification across various sectors, including energy [
57], agriculture [
58], and technology [
59].
This study focuses on the evaluation of Macao’s education policy, utilizing contemporary methodologies that assess both the effects and the content of policies. Traditional tools like surveys and the fuzzy comprehensive method, despite their widespread use, often suffer from issues like high costs and limited reliability. Therefore, this analysis incorporates the PMC index model [
60,
61,
62] proposed by Estrada [
63], built on the Omnia Mobilis hypothesis [
64], which emphasizes the interconnected and dynamic nature of global variables.
The PMC model offers a quantitative approach to evaluating the scientificity and reasonableness of policy content. It addresses limitations found in conventional methods that often restrict evaluations to superficial comparisons and lack in-depth analysis of policy strengths and weaknesses. By applying this model to Macao’s education policy, we aim to obtain a nuanced understanding of its content, guiding improvements in both the policy framework and its implementation outcomes. This approach not only suits the evaluation of Macao’s education strategy but also has broad applicability in other policy areas like ecological compensation and green development, providing a robust foundation for policy enhancement.
Numerous quantitative education policy evaluations across different global regions have employed varied methodologies, offering insights into the effectiveness and adaptability of evaluation frameworks. These studies highlight the methodological diversity in quantitative evaluation, emphasizing causal impact through econometric methods, descriptive statistics, and comparative models. For example, Isaacs et al.’s [
65] study on ICT integration in Namibia employs quantitative tools like Likert scales to assess teacher competencies. Additionally, Coburn and Penuel [
66] highlight that research in areas such as the Basque Country demonstrates the use of semi-quantitative methods for evaluating environmental education policy. These methods provide flexibility in contexts involving multiple stakeholders.
These methodologies have proven generalizable across varied educational systems, as demonstrated in studies in Ghana, which identify essential technological and cultural factors for policy success [
67]. Other analyses have used quantitative frameworks to compare qualitative and quantitative impacts on student motivation in Iran [
68]. Collectively, these studies emphasize the adaptability of quantitative policy evaluation, with models like econometric evaluation demonstrating broad applicability from early education to tertiary levels [
69]. The methodological contributions of these studies extend to comprehensive evaluation techniques that incorporate causal inference, program-specific adaptations, and comparative approaches. The inclusion of regional adjustments as seen in China’s multi-level educational assessment framework [
69], indicates the potential for universal applicability of quantitative methods while retaining cultural relevancy.
3. Methodology
3.1. Research Design
The PMC index, or policy modeling consistency index, is a quantitative policy evaluation tool that evaluates the consistency of policy structures across multiple indicators, providing a visual representation of policy strengths and weaknesses. As a method of quantitative policy evaluation, it typically measures the consistency of the policy modeling process with a multi-indicator construction, whose construction includes nearly 10 first-level indicators and several second-level indicators, and examines the cumulative effect of each indicator on the overall change. It assesses the consistency of policy formulation through the construction of indicators. It uses the results, presented in a three-dimensional visualization space, to intuitively show the strengths and weaknesses of the policy, which is the main difference that distinguishes the PMC index model from other policy evaluations. In general, the construction of the PMC index model involves the following steps: (1) variable selection and parameter setting, (2) multi-input-output table construction, (3) PMC index calculation, and (4) PMC surface drawing. In general, the overall application of the PMC index model has undergone initial standardization. However, the selection of indicators in the PMC index model is relatively fixed, which makes it difficult to evaluate policies objectively and accurately. Therefore, the current study extends the PMC index model by integrating it with the text mining method. The text mining method is used to conduct social network and semantic network analysis on the policy text, and the results obtained are used as indicators to optimize the original relatively fixed indicators to obtain the indicator system with policy characteristics, which makes the results of policy evaluation more reliable. At the same time, the results of policy text mining can further analyze the focus of policy attention and achieve a grasp of the distribution of existing policy attention.
Using the extended PMC index model described above, we divide its construction process into the following steps. First, the selection of clusters of policy documents. The model is not a simple quantification of a single policy but a systematic quantitative analysis of many policies. Second, policy text mining and analysis. Using text mining technology to mine policy text is the key to constructing a policy evaluation index system with policy characteristics. Third, the determination of evaluation indicators. The evaluation indicators are quantitative summaries of the selected policy texts, and the model considers all feasible variables with the relevant policies to achieve a comprehensive reflection of policy information. Fourth, measuring the PMC index. By calculating the PMC index of the selected policies, the results obtained are used as the analytical basis for policy formulation and optimization.
Figure 1 shows the above construction framework.
The PMC index allows for a detailed, quantitative assessment of complex policy structures by examining multiple dimensions, which is essential for Macao’s multifaceted education policies. The PMC index’s multi-level structure (e.g., primary and secondary indicators), which aligns well with the study’s aim to analyze policy effectiveness across different aspects, including policy type, scope, incentives, and alignment with regional goals. The PMC model’s compatibility with text-mining results makes it a strong fit, as this study integrates text mining to identify key themes in policy documents.
The PMC index generates a three-dimensional visualization, making it easier to identify strong and weak points in policy formulation and implementation, which is valuable for Macao’s diverse education policies. By using a scoring mechanism, the PMC index offers a more objective, standardized way of evaluating policy effectiveness, addressing the need for quantitative rigor often lacking in policy analysis for small regions like Macao. Given that Macao’s education policies intersect with various areas (such as bilingual education, vocational training, and regional integration), the PMC model’s adaptability to multiple policy types and areas makes it ideal. While the PMC index’s pre-defined indicators allow for consistency, they may limit adaptability to specific local contexts. This study addresses this limitation by incorporating results from text mining to better capture policy characteristics specific to Macao. The policy modeling consistency (PMC) index is chosen for this study due to its robust quantitative framework, which is well-suited to evaluating the multifaceted education policies of the Macao Special Administrative Region. The PMC index’s multi-indicator system facilitates a detailed examination of policy types, timeliness, incentives, focus areas, and more, providing insights into the strengths and weaknesses of each policy. This method allows for a systematic comparison across multiple policy dimensions, addressing the need for an objective and comprehensive evaluation in a region with complex educational and socio-political influences.
3.2. Data Selection and Preprocessing of Policy Documents
This study mainly analyses the Policy Addresses (
https://www.gov.mo/zh-hant/content/policy-address/, accessed on 14 July 2024) issued by the Macao SAR Government from 2000 to 2024, ensuring the authority and completeness of the information by systematically collecting reports from this period. These reports cover the development of Macao’s education policies from the handover to the present, providing a solid foundation for the study. In terms of technical implementation, this study uses natural language processing libraries such as NLTK and Gensim in Python to preprocess the text, constructs thematic clusters using web-based semantic modeling, and calculates the policy modeling consistency index (PMC index) using the “Policy Modeling” package of R language. The policy modeling consistency index (PMC index) is calculated using the “Policy Modeling” package in R. By using web semantic modeling, an unsupervised learning algorithm, this study was able to identify and classify themes from the textual data, revealing the focus of education-related discussions and policy directions in government reports. In addition, by applying the PMC index, this study quantitatively analyses 12 selected important education-related policy documents. By calculating the consistency scores of the policies, the degree of fit between these policies and the government’s education objectives is assessed.
3.3. Policy Text Mining and Analysis
3.3.1. High-Frequency Word Statistics
Words are the most basic units of meaning in a text, and statistics on the frequency of words used in a text can reflect the trends and characteristics of the relevant aspects of a certain subject. In the main analysis of the text, using the relevant word frequency analysis function, the search scope is lost in the text content of the 25 policy reports valid in this study, and the minimum length is set to 2, resulting in the word frequency analysis (see
Table 1). The relevant high-frequency words are analyzed visually (see
Figure 1).
The concerns and priorities of the MSAR Government in the field of education include the continuous quest to improve the quality of education and to adapt it to the needs of modern society. The government promotes the reform of the education system and strengthens the characteristics of Chinese–Portuguese bilingual education, with the aim of fostering multilingual students with an international outlook. In parallel, the Macao education system has integrated information technology to improve teaching efficiency and enrich the learning experience. Vocational education is closely aligned with the job market, highlighting the importance attached to the future career development of students, while the well-being and mental health of students are placed at the center to ensure a positive and healthy learning environment; a notable feature is the commitment of the Macao SAR Government to expanding tertiary education opportunities, improving the quality of research, promoting academic innovation, and making notable efforts in the areas of the internationalization of education, the application of technology, vocational alignment, and the well-being of students. A notable feature is that the MSAR Government is also committed to expanding access to higher education, enhancing the quality of research, promoting academic innovation, and making significant efforts in the areas of internationalization of education, technology application, career matching, and student well-being. The intermingling of Sino-Portuguese cultures and the investment and progress made in the allocation of educational resources and infrastructural development together reflect the direction of the government’s education policy. The government attaches great importance to young people’s learning ability, diversified further education issues, and family education, and stresses the importance of innovative entrepreneurship, multi-channel employment, and socially mandatory work in order to develop young people with a national and international outlook for socially disadvantaged groups, such as special needs groups, ethnic minorities, women, and older people. The government has implemented pilot programs in schools to improve the school environment and school-based curricula. It has provided subsidies and allowances, For socially disadvantaged groups, such as women and older adults with special needs. The government has launched pilot programs in schools to improve the school environment and school-based programs, provide subsidies and after-school learning opportunities, and continuously improve special education services. In addition, school-based educational psychology services are expanded to pay attention to students’ mental health and social integration.
Particularly noteworthy is the fact that the MSAR Government has also proposed a series of education reforms and implementation programs aimed at achieving lifelong learning and individual development. These include the establishment of a lifelong learning ladder, the study and development of a qualification recognition mechanism, and the realization of the educational concepts of “teaching according to the ability of the student” and “teaching all students without discrimination”. The policy of internationalization and opening up to the outside world has been modernized through the building of an international school system and the expansion of international exchange student programmers.
In educational practice, the SAR Government attaches importance to the language of instruction and professional development of educators, actively promoting mother tongue teaching and raising the teaching standards of non-language subjects. The government encourages teachers to pursue further studies through the allocation of additional resources and the provision of professional guidance and planning, thereby enhancing the quality of teachers. In addition, the government emphasizes the traditional Chinese culture of respecting teachers and regards teachers and school headmasters as “the mainstay of the Macao education system” and pays attention to the issues of teacher ethics and morals, reduction in teachers’ workload, and remuneration, with a view to improving the quality of education in all aspects.
3.3.2. High-Frequency Word Statistics
In this study, we utilize the Python Semantic Web Model Package for Semantic Web Topic Clustering to obtain the co-occurrence matrix vocabulary from the high-frequency words extracted from
Section 3.3.1. Based on this analysis, we generate a network co-occurrence graph of the high-frequency words related to Macao’s education policy (as shown in
Figure 2), eliminating the need for a co-occurrence table.
The construction of a web semantic model for thematic clustering maps through the relevant semantic web co-occurrence matrix table (as shown in
Figure 3) revealed that the quantitative assessment study of environmental policies in the Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR) presents four key themes in the policy text, which together form the framework of Macao’s environmental protection actions and reflect the multidimensional endeavors of the Macao SAR Government in environmental governance.
One of these themes, Theme 1, is clustered and analyzed around the theme of quality and cooperation in education. Macao is committed to improving the overall quality of the education system by strengthening the teaching force, promoting academic research, and establishing a learning society. It also cooperates closely with partners, including synergies between Guangdong and Macao. In addition, emphasis is placed on moral education, the development of professional skills, and the enhancement of English language teaching, as well as on the development of service networks and the optimization of human resources.
Theme 2 was clustered around the theme of language education development. Bilingual education is an important feature of Macao’s education system. The policy emphasizes the promotion of Chinese–Portuguese bilingual education, with the aim of improving students’ language proficiency and cross-cultural communication skills. The policy also focuses on the practical language skills of graduates and strengthens students’ international perspective through cooperation with overseas educational institutions.
Theme 3 is clustered around innovation in higher education. In the field of higher education, Macao emphasizes the enhancement of innovation and research capacity and supports the development and enhancement of academic research and professional skills through the integration of quality educational resources. Policies encourage higher education institutions to collaborate with international partners, as well as to promote the modernization of campus infrastructure and teaching resources.
Theme 4 was clustered around the theme of popular science and international exchange. Popularization of science education and international exchanges occupy an important place in Macao’s education policy, aiming to enhance public awareness of and interest in scientific knowledge as well as to promote international cooperation and cultural exchanges. The policy supports academic exchange programs, the organization of international conferences, and the expansion of Macao’s international educational influence through diplomatic channels.
3.4. Policy Text Mining and Analysis
3.4.1. Indicator Selection
The article evaluates the effectiveness of Macao SAR’s education policies by constructing the PMC index model. The PMC index (policy modeling consistency index) and the Omnia Mobilis hypotheses are proposed by Ruiz Estrada et al. The PMC index model, which uses binary zeros and ones to measure each variable, allows for a more objective analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of a policy and its internal consistency, and the use of text mining to obtain the raw data improves the accuracy of the policy evaluation. PMC is used to analyze the level of consistency of a specific policy model, and it allows for a visual understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the policy to be evaluated, as well as of the meaning and level of the variables that are being evaluated. PMC. Typically, the PMC index modeling has the following steps: building a multi-input-output table, calculating the two-level variable values and PMC indices, and plotting the PMC surface graph. The 12 representative Macao education policies in various fields selected for this paper are shown in
Table 2 (
https://www.io.gov.mo/cn/entities/admpub/rec/2000, accessed on 14 July 2020).
3.4.2. PMC-Index Modeling
Based on the previous file and text mining method, this study comprehensively modifies the setting of scholars for policy evaluation indexes with reference to the existing literature. It sets a total of nine classical first-level variables. In the setting of second-level variables, adjustments are made by combining the classical second-level variables discussed by the above scholars and the research questions of this paper, as well as the specific situation of Macao’s education policy. The PMC indicator system for quantitative evaluation of education policies in the Macao SAR is a well-designed framework that aims to provide an all-encompassing and quantitative assessment of education policies through nine key level 1 variables (X1 to X9). This evaluation system covers a number of important dimensions of education policy, including the basic type of policy, timeframe of implementation, incentives and constraints, areas of application of the policy, criteria for evaluation, key areas of concern of the policy, levels of policy applied, major themes of the policy, and openness of the policy. Each level 1 variable is broken down into specific level 2 variables to ensure a detailed and comprehensive evaluation. Specifically, policy type (X1) meticulously assesses the roles and functions assumed by educational policies through secondary variables that include six dimensions: predicting, regulating, recommending, describing, guiding, and other, thus revealing the core purpose and mechanism of action of the policies. Policy timeframe (X2), on the other hand, focuses on the duration of policy implementation, including long-term (more than 10 years), medium-term (4 to 10 years), short-term (1 to 3 years), and immediate (within the current year). Such a delineation helps the evaluator to understand the sustained impacts of the policy and the timeframe in which the objectives will be realized. Incentives and constraints (X3) consider the reasonableness and effectiveness of the policy in promoting talent development, formulating laws and regulations, and providing economic incentives to determine whether the policy is effective in stimulating or constraining relevant behaviors. Policy areas (X4) assesses the scope of action and areas of influence of the policy by covering key areas such as economy, education, culture, politics, and environment.
Further, policy evaluation (X5) conducts in-depth analysis from three perspectives: adequacy of policy basis, clarity of objectives, and scientific of the program to ensure the rationality and effectiveness of the policy. Policy focus (X6), on the other hand, focuses on evaluating the policy’s emphasis on key research areas such as educational innovation, cultural integration, science and technology education, and internationalized education based on the results of text mining. Policy levels (X7) specifies the targets and levels to which the policy applies, including provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government, ministries, special administrative regions, etc., revealing the coverage of the policy and the affected groups. Policy themes (X8) is based on the results of theme clustering and delves into the focus and development direction of the policy in the areas of education quality, language education, higher education innovation, science and technology, and international exchanges. Finally, policy openness (X9) is considered to ensure the transparency of policy information and the public’s right to know, assessing whether the policy is open to the public. The indicator layer is scored 1 if there is relevant content to be disclosed and 0 if there is no relevant content to be disclosed.
The entire PMC indicator system provides a structured and quantitative evaluation tool for the MSAR in formulating, implementing, and evaluating education policies. Through this system, policy makers and evaluators can fully understand the comprehensive effects and impacts of education policies while pointing out the directions and areas of improvement, thus enhancing the quality and effectiveness of the policies and ensuring that the objectives of the education policies can be effectively realized to meet the long-term needs of the MSAR’s education development. The scoring criteria for each variable are shown in
Table 3.
Based on the above system of indicators for evaluating education policies in the MSAR, a multi-input-output table for the content analysis of each policy text was derived (see
Table 3). The multi-input-output table is a data analysis framework that allows for quantitative evaluation of any individual variable in the policy text, permits the storage of large amounts of data, and maintains balance among variables using primarily binary. Based on the multi-input-output table of each policy, the PMC index value of each policy was calculated as follows: (1) Selection and identification of education policy texts to be evaluated in the Macao Special Administrative Region and assignment of values to each secondary variable according to Equations (1) and (2). Among them, the value range of the secondary variable XR obeys the distribution of [0, 1]; according to Equation (3), calculate the value of each first-level variable Xt, with a score range of 1–9; according to Equation (4), sum up the scores of the first-level variables of each policy and calculate the PMC index of the Macao Special Administrative Region’s education policies.
Based on the PMC index calculation method and the text mining method, the 12 Macao education policies were combined into an input–output table (shown in
Table 3), and the policies were rated according to the scores and the evaluation criteria table (shown in
Table 4). Then, the PMC index of each education policy is calculated and summarized in
Table 5, Macao education policy score table. Their scores for each dimension of each policy are shown in
Figure 3.
4. Results and Discussion
In order to make the PMC index results more intuitively presented, the PMC surface can be constructed after the PMC index is obtained because there are nine variables at the first level, making the variables a 3 × 3 matrix. The PMC surface calculation is shown in Equation (5).
Since the selected education policies are all relatively excellent and complete education policies issued by the MSAR, these innovative policies are at the perfect and excellent level in terms of the PMC index (PMC index is at [8.663–5.6485]). Based on the above scoring criteria, it can be seen that P5, P6, and P8 are all perfect, with scores of 8.2424, 8.6333, and 8.5667, respectively, while the remaining nine educational policies are all excellent, with scores of 7.4273–5.5242 or more.
The PMC index of each education policy was analyzed above. In order to facilitate the comparison, the mean values of each level of index X1–X9 are calculated and analyzed in detail in this paper, and
Figure 4 shows the PMC surface of each education policy.
4.1. Evaluation of Perfect Effectiveness of Macao Education Policies
According to
Table 5, Policies P8, P6, and P5 all show the qualities of policy excellence. Policy P8, “Macao’s higher education system”, has a PMC index of 8.5866. It scores highly in terms of policy type, timeliness, assessment, focus, level, theme, and openness, and in particular, achieves perfect scores in terms of policy level and openness, demonstrating its broad impact and high transparency at multiple levels. However, P8 scored slightly lower on policy constraints and domains, indicating that some challenges may be encountered during implementation.
Policy P6 is the “Outline Law on the Non-Higher Education System in Macao”, with a PMC index of 8.6333. Its high scores on all assessment dimensions, especially on policy focus and level, with scores close to full marks, indicate that P6 is able to focus its resources on solving the key issues and has a wide range of impacts at different levels. In addition, P6 scored full marks in policy type, timeliness, evaluation, and openness, highlighting its comprehensiveness and timeliness.
Policy P5, “Basic Academic Requirements for Formal Education in the Macao Academic Structure”, has a PMC index of 8.2424, and its policy effectiveness rating is perfect. Macao’s education policies perform well, especially in terms of policy type, timeliness, domain, assessment, focus, level, theme, and openness. x3 (policy constraints) has a value of 0.5, implying that there is some room for improvement in terms of incentive constraints. This may indicate that although the education policy has taken some steps in motivating teachers and students, it may face some constraints in achieving the policy objectives. The policy evaluation of the Basic Competencies for Formal Education in the Macao Academic Structure shows that the overall design and implementation of the policy have been successful, but further work needs to be done in enhancing the policy constraints to ensure that all the policy measures are able to work to their full potential and are not hampered by unnecessary internal or external barriers.
As shown in
Figure 4, all three policies have demonstrated strong implementation and good social adaptability to effectively address the targeted issues and generate positive impacts in their respective domains. Policy P5 stands out in particular for its excellence across all dimensions, while policies P6 and P8 also demonstrate their strengths in a number of key areas. Successful implementation of these policies will significantly contribute to development and progress in the relevant areas.
4.2. Evaluation of the Excellent Effectiveness of Macao’s Education Policies
We conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the excellent effectiveness of Macau’s education policies P1, P2, P3, P4, P7, P9, P10, P11, and P12. Policy P1 is “Establishment of an Education Resource Center System in Macao”, with a PMC index of 7.4273. Policy P2 is “Establishment of a Talent Development Committee System in Macao”, with a PMC index of 7.0545. Both policies received high scores on most of the evaluation dimensions. These two policies received high scores in most of the assessment dimensions, especially in the areas of policy timeliness, assessment, hierarchy, theme, and openness, showing their excellent adaptability, transparency, and impact. However, they scored relatively low on policy constraints and policy areas, indicating that some constraints may be encountered during implementation and that the scope of application may be relatively limited. Nevertheless, they are still rated as “excellent” policies with good potential for implementation and social benefits.
Policy P3, “Educational supervision system for juveniles in conflict with the law in Macao”, with a PMC index of 5.5242, scored low on the policy constraints dimension, suggesting that it may face greater challenges in the implementation process. Meanwhile, the policy domain score of 0 implies that the P3 may target specific areas or issues. Nonetheless, P3 scored full marks in the policy timeliness, evaluation, hierarchy, subject matter, and openness dimensions, showing its strengths in these areas. P3’s PMC index score of “excellent” indicates that it performs well in many dimensions but needs to pay attention to the constraints in the implementation process.
Policy P4, “Establishment of Educational Psychological Counseling and Special Education Centers in Macao”, has a PMC index of 5.5909. In terms of policy constraints, the score of P4 is 0.3, which is relatively low and may imply that there are certain difficulties in implementation. Nevertheless, P4 scored full marks in the areas of timeliness, evaluation, hierarchy, themes, and openness, showing its strengths in these areas. P4’s PMC index score of “Excellent” indicates that it performs well in a number of dimensions but needs to focus on specific areas of applicability and constraints in the implementation process.
Policy P7, “Macao’s Special Education System”, has a PMC index of 7.2515 and scores high in terms of policy type, timeliness, assessment, hierarchy, subject matter, and openness but low in terms of policy constraints and policy areas. This suggests that P7 may encounter some constraints in its implementation and may have a relatively limited scope of application. Nonetheless, P7’s high scores in other dimensions indicate some strengths and potential, and P7’s PMC index score of ‘Excellent’ shows its performance in a number of key areas.
Policy P9, “Basic Academic Requirements for Senior Secondary Education in Macao”, has a PMC index of 7.7515, and Policy P10, “Regulations for the Approval of Grants from the Education Fund in Macao”, has a PMC index of 7.9878. Both policies have high scores in terms of type of policy, timeliness, assessment, hierarchy, theme, and quality. These two policies scored full marks in terms of policy type, timeliness, assessment, hierarchy, subject matter, and openness, showing their excellent performance in these aspects. However, they scored relatively low on policy constraints and policy areas, suggesting that some challenges may be encountered during implementation. Nonetheless, P9 and P10 were both rated as “excellent” on the PMC index, indicating good performance and social benefits in several dimensions.
The PMC index for P11 is 6.3575 for the “General Regulations for Private Non-Higher Education Schools in Macao”, and that for P12 is 5.6485 for the “Establishment of a Free Education Allowance System in Macao” in terms of the type of policy, timeliness, evaluation, level, theme, and openness of the policies, evaluation, hierarchy, theme, and openness, but scored lower in policy constraints and policy areas. This suggests that P11 and P12 may encounter some constraints in their implementation and may have a relatively limited scope of application. Nonetheless, their high scores on other dimensions suggest some strengths and potential, and the PMC index ratings of “excellent” for P11 and P12 show that they excel in a number of key areas.
Overall, as shown in
Figure 5, these policies exhibit excellent qualities and potential across the multiple dimensions of assessment. Despite challenges and limitations in some areas, they all can make a positive impact in their respective domains. By focusing on and improving these challenges and adapting them effectively, these policies are expected to achieve better results in the future.
5. Conclusions
In this study, text mining and PMC index analysis were used to analyze in depth the policy addresses of the SAR Government after the handover of Macao and to assess 12 representative Macao education policies quantitatively. By constructing a PMC index model, this study provides a comprehensive and scientific quantitative assessment of Macau SAR’s education policies. The model is based on nine primary variables and corresponding secondary variables, covering key dimensions such as policy type, timeliness, constraints and incentives, domain, assessment, focus, hierarchy, theme, and openness, aiming to analyze in depth the multifaceted characteristics and potential impacts of education policies.
Through text mining and data analysis, we derived the PMC index for each policy of Macao’s education policy and evaluated the policy effectiveness accordingly. Policies P5, P6, and P8 were rated as “perfect” on the PMC index, indicating that these policies demonstrated excellent performance on multiple dimensions of evaluation, especially in terms of policy timeliness, evaluation, hierarchy, themes, and openness. The successful implementation of these policies is expected to have a far-reaching positive impact on the development of education in Macao.
On the other hand, Policies P1, P2, P3, P4, P7, P9, P10, P11, and P12 are rated as “Excellent”. Although these policies have certain challenges in some dimensions, such as policy constraints and domain applicability, their performance in terms of policy type, timeliness, evaluation, hierarchy, themes, and openness is still commendable. The implementation of these policies can provide strong support to the Macao education policy system and valuable lessons for future policy improvement.
Overall, the MSAR’s education policies have shown good effectiveness and implementation potential as assessed by the PMC model. Through these assessment results, policy makers and education administrators can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the policies, thus providing a basis for continuous improvement in policy formulation and implementation and ensuring that the education policies can effectively meet the long-term needs of education development in the Macao SAR. The results show that investment in education has always been a priority area for the Macao Government. Prior to the handover, the government actively developed many areas, such as the economy and culture. Still, the status of education was relatively low. After the handover in 1999, investment in education was elevated to the status of “the most important long-term social investment”. It became the focus of the government’s financial and resource investment. The high level of investment and strategic adjustments made by the MSAR Government has ensured that the education policy has remained stable in the face of challenges and has shown a general trend of moving forward with continuous adjustments.
Critical success factors in Macao’s education policy-making process: The success of education policies in Macao is shaped by several critical factors across each stage of the policy-making process. During policy development, alignment with broader regional and national objectives, such as those of the Greater Bay Area, ensures that Macao’s education policies are strategically relevant and adequately resourced. Stakeholder engagement and cultural inclusivity are also essential, as policies must reflect the bilingual and multicultural fabric of Macao’s society to be widely accepted.
In the implementation stage, resource allocation and targeted teacher training are vital, especially for policies involving bilingual instruction and technology integration. Clear communication and a flexible approach also enhance the adaptability and responsiveness of policies to changing social and economic conditions. Finally, in the evaluation stage, the use of data-driven evaluation frameworks like the PMC index, combined with continuous feedback from stakeholders, allows for timely adjustments and refinements. Transparent reporting builds public trust, ensuring that the policies remain accountable and effective in meeting educational goals.
The Macao SAR Government attaches great importance to the all-round development of young people, especially in the context of the new era, when Macao needs to break through the bottleneck of development and form a mutually beneficial and win-win community of destiny with the Mainland. To this end, Macao’s education should contribute to social stability and orderly integration into national construction so as to enhance the national awareness and patriotic spirit of Macao compatriots, especially the younger generation. At the same time, the government should strengthen the policy guidance for teachers, improve their ideological and political quality, and build a sound education subject system. In addition, the government should pay attention to national education, innovation and entrepreneurship education, and vocational education so as to enrich the contemporary significance and practical value of “quality education”. The goals, concepts, and strategies of Macao’s education are worthy of reference for the Mainland. In the future, the two-way interaction and deep integration between Macao and the Mainland in the cultivation of patriotic teachers and young people should be promoted so as to give full play to Macao’s education’s strategic role in the stability and development of the country.
This study contributes to the field of education policy analysis by applying a quantitative framework—the PMC index combined with text mining—to evaluate the consistency and effectiveness of education policies. The study’s methodology provides a replicable approach that enhances the objectivity and rigor of policy evaluations, particularly in multilingual, multicultural, or socio-politically complex contexts like Macao. By integrating both quantitative and qualitative aspects, the study offers a multidimensional approach that enriches theoretical models of policy evaluation.
Although specific findings from Macao’s education policies are context dependent, the PMC index and text-mining approach offer a flexible framework that can be applied to policy evaluations in diverse regions. This model could be especially useful for regions with similar complexities, such as bilingual or multicultural settings and areas experiencing rapid integration pressures from globalization or regional cooperation initiatives.
The study is limited by the fact that the PMC index’s binary scoring system simplifies the evaluation process; it may overlook nuanced aspects of policy effectiveness. Future studies could incorporate complementary data sources, like surveys or interviews, to provide a more comprehensive view of policy impact. Future research could benefit from adapting the PMC index in different educational contexts, refining its scoring system, or employing alternative methodologies to capture variations in policy effectiveness more precisely. Longitudinal studies assessing the evolution and long-term impacts of education policies could also provide valuable insights, particularly in rapidly changing socio-political environments.