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The Financial Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, officially launched the Mentorship Fun Project this morning (October 3). The project, to network the universities, post-secondary institutions, and secondary and primary schools in Hong Kong, is an initiative by the Commission on Poverty, which Mr Tang chairs.
Through encouraging voluntary services within the education sector, the project aims to enhance opportunities for students to polish their soft skills and also to promote interaction, understanding and hence, acceptance and respect among students from different backgrounds. "Mutual respect and mutual support is crucial to promoting a caring and inclusive community, which is essential to sustainable poverty alleviation," Mr Tang said.
"The project can give our young people what money cannot buy - experience and a mindset to be responsible and caring citizens. Today's young people will become masters of our community tomorrow. Their attitude determines the kind of Hong Kong we shall have in the future," Mr Tang said.
The Secretary for Education and Manpower, Professor Arthur Li, shares Mr Tang's view. Professor Li, who also sits on the Commission on Poverty, said education was not only about knowledge acquisition. It covered value education too, including how to become responsible members of the community. "The project, by promoting mentoring and assistance to other students especially those who are underpriviledged, will create a win-win situation for all. The Mentorship Fun Project orchestrates well the civic mindedness that our education reform is promoting," Prof Li said.
The project seeks to build on and network the encouraging mentorship programmes already in place in the education sector. "We are grateful for the support of the education sector and in particular, the participation by all eight University Grants Committee (UGC) funded institutions and the Vocational Training Council (VTC)," Mr Tang said. All secondary and primary schools in Hong Kong have also been invited to join.
Students of UGC institutions may join the project by registering on the project's website http://mentorshipfun.org.hk. Students from institutions of the VTC, and secondary and primary schools may participate in the project through their schools.
Ends/Monday, October 3, 2005
Issued at HKT 15:58
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