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Secretary for Education visits Kowloon City (with photos)
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    The Secretary for Education, Mr Michael Suen, today (April 29) visited Kowloon City, which has the highest concentration of schools in the territory - over 200 kindergartens, primary/secondary schools and tertiary institutions. The Hong Kong Baptist University and the Open University of Hong Kong are also located in the district.

    Accompanied by District Officer Miss Agnes Wong, Mr Suen started his visit at the School of Chinese Medicine of the Baptist University, where he was briefed on the School's development and its efforts to introduce Chinese medicine into the international arena.

    The School of Chinese Medicine of the Hong Kong Baptist University is the first University Grants Committee-funded institution that provides higher education in Chinese medicine in Hong Kong. It remains the only local institution offering undergraduate studies in Chinese medicine.

    With the launching of the first five-year, full-time Bachelor of Chinese Medicine & Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biomedical Science programme in 1998, the School marked a milestone of introducing Chinese medicine education into Hong Kong's formal higher education system.

    Mr Suen then toured the Dr and Mrs Hung Hin Shiu Museum of Chinese Medicine located within the school to learn about the development of Chinese medicine practice in Hong Kong over the years. The museum played a vital role in the collection and compilation of information and other material relating to the development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong, demonstrating the close relationship between Chinese medicine and the everyday life of the local population.

    Mr Suen remarked that Chinese medicine had a history of thousands of years and was an important element of Chinese traditional culture.

    The next stop was the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Chinese Medicines Centre where Mr Suen was briefed on the many herbs commonly found in Hong Kong as well as the traditional Chinese remedies on display.

    The Centre has a rich collection of Chinese medicine on display and is home to some 1,000 rare plant and animal specimens categorised as national treasures. The Centre also houses a computerised depository with a collection of more than 3,000 Chinese medicinal herb samples.

    A small local restaurant on Kai Tak Road provided Mr Suen with a break during his busy schedule. Founded by parents of children with intellectual disabilities and community members, the restaurant is operated as a social enterprise to employ people with intellectual disabilities to help them become independent.

    Mr Suen chatted with the restaurant manager, Mr Wong Wai Hung, some employees and parents of children with intellectual disabilities there about the work of the staff and the operation of the restaurant. He also tasted some of the restaurant's delicious snacks.

    Later, Mr Suen visited the Cornerstone Education Centre on Lung Kong Road, a non-profitmaking learning centre set up by members of a local church to cater for the needs of women and children newly arrived from the Mainland as well as senior citizens. Some students told him how they had benefited from services offered by the centre.

    Mr Suen ended his visit to Kowloon City by calling on the local District Council and exchanging views with its members on various issues of concern.



Ends/Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Issued at HKT 20:04

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