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The following is issued on behalf of the Student Financial Assistance Agency:
More than 870 students, five working adults and two apprentices were presented with awards and scholarships under the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund (SEYMF) at the 23rd awards presentation ceremony held at Hong Kong City Hall today (March 28). Officiating at the ceremony were Lady Youde; Dr Philip Wu Po-him, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Dr John Chan Cho-chak, the Chairman of the SEYMF Council, and other members of the Board of Trustees and the Council.
Lady Youde remarked, "Over the past two decades, the Fund has continued to promote education, learning and research among the people of Hong Kong. We hold firm to our belief that a well-educated workforce with diverse skills and talents is the key to building a vibrant, multi-faceted and sustainable Hong Kong. Since its establishment in 1987, the Fund has disbursed more than $200 million to over 575,000 students through various kinds of awards and sponsored activities.
"In the years to come, the Fund will remain committed to doing all it can to make sure talented young people will be well prepared to tackle the exciting challenges ahead and to make a significant contribution to the development of the society in which they live," she added.
In pursuing its objective of encouraging and promoting the education of the people of Hong Kong, the fund disbursed $8.03 million in the 2009/10 academic year. Presented this year were seven awards, plus three honorary awards, for overseas studies; 13 fellowships for post-graduate students, inclusive of three honorary awards; 28 scholarships for undergraduate and diploma students, inclusive of eight honorary awards; four scholarships for disabled students who are pursuing undergraduate and diploma studies; six medals for students who obtained outstanding results in public examinations; 799 prizes for senior secondary school students; 18 awards for disabled students; two awards for outstanding apprentices and five awards for working adults who have undergone retraining and have successfully integrated into their new work environment.
Exclusive sponsorship of $600,000 towards the Young Friends Scheme of the Hong Kong Arts Festival continued in 2009/10 to increase the exposure of secondary school and tertiary students to the performing arts. In 2009/10, more than 6,200 students have become members of the Young Friends Scheme and over 30,600 students have participated in various programmes and activities of this Scheme.
Competition for the overseas fellowships and scholarships for 2010/11 was extremely keen. Seven brilliant contestants, from among 182 applicants, won the fellowship awards. Each will receive a maximum of HK$283,000 a year.
The award recipients for the Overseas Fellowships 2010/11 are:-
(1) Miss Chan Hiu-wa, currently a student studying sociology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, who intends to pursue a Master of Science degree in Urbanisation and Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom;
(2) Mr Chan Hon-fai, currently a student studying medical engineering at the University of Hong Kong, who intends to pursue a PhD degree in biomedical engineering at Columbia University in the City of New York in the United States;
(3) Miss Choi Tsz-wing, currently a student studying strings at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, who intends to pursue a Master of Music degree in performance at the Royal College of Music, London, in the United Kingdom;
(4) Miss Wendy Choi Wae-yee, currently working as an educational psychologist at the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, who intends to pursue a PhD degree in psychology and human development at the University of London in the United Kingdom;
(5) Miss Patricia Lam Yuk-ping, currently a student studying law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, who intends to pursue a Bachelor degree in civil law at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom;
(6) Miss Leung Hau-man, currently working as a consultant at the International Labour Organisation (Cambodia), who intends to pursue a Master of Public Administration degree at Columbia University in the City of New York in the United States; and
(7) Mr Li Kin-sum, currently an MPhil student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, who intends to pursue a PhD degree in East Asian arts and archaeology at Princeton University in the United States.
The award recipients for the Overseas Honorary Scholarship 2010/11 are Mr Chung Ping-ngai, Mr Luk Sum-kin and Mr Yuen Chak-fai. Each will receive $10,000 for the honorary award.
Six students who obtained outstanding results in the 2009 public examinations have been awarded the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Medals. They are:-
(1) Miss Eileen Yue Tsang-kwong of the Hang Seng School of Commerce, who scored 6As in the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) in 2009;
(2) Miss Wong Wing-yan of the CCC Ming Yin College, who scored 5As in the HKALE in 2009;
(3) Mr Chan Wing-fai of the Queen's College, who scored 5As in the HKALE in 2009;
(4) Miss Joyce Chan Wing-yan of Diocesan Girls' School, who scored 10A/Level 5*s in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) in 2009;
(5) Miss Jane Ko Ching of Maryknoll Convent School (Secondary Section), who scored 10A/Level 5*s in the HKCEE in 2009; and
(6) Miss Leung Ka-wing of Sha Tin Government Secondary School, who scored 9A/Level 5*s in the HKCEE in 2009.
The five working adults, nominated by the Employees Retraining Board and the Construction Industry Council Training Academy, who obtained Awards for Self-Improvement for Working Adults are:-
(1) Mr Chao Kam-yau, who took a personal care worker retraining course, is currently a personal care worker;
(2) Ms Fong Wai-ling, who took a certificate course for florist and floriculture assistant, is currently a tutor assistant (gardening course) in the Leisure and Cultural Services Department;
(3) Ms Lau Chun-lan, who took a certificate course in health care massage, is currently a masseur;
(4) Ms Mak Tak-lan, who took a post-natal care worker retraining course, is currently a post-natal care worker; and
(5) Mr Ng Kin-kwok, who took a full-time adult short course in bar-bending and fixing, is currently a site foreman in an engineering company.
The two apprentices, nominated by the Director of Apprenticeship, who obtained the Outstanding Apprentice Awards are:-
(1) Mr Chan Kam-wing, who completed a craft certificate in printing and computer imaging, is currently a senior machine operator in a printing company; and
(2) Mr Lam Ming-kit, who is now pursuing a higher diploma in electrical engineering, is currently an electrical engineering technician in an electrical company.
A total of around $250,000 has been expended on the Award Scheme for Disabled Students to provide 18 awardees with awards for the purchase of study aids.
Ten postgraduate students this year have been awarded the SEYM Fellowships at $30,000 each, while 24 undergraduate and diploma students have been awarded the SEYM Scholarships at $20,000 each. Three postgraduate students and eight undergraduate and diploma students are conferred the SEYM Honorary Fellowships and Scholarships at the values of $3,000 and $2,000 each respectively.
The Fund has also spent $799,000 on the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Prizes for 799 senior secondary school students from over 400 schools throughout the territory.
The Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund has since its inception supported more than 19,100 Hong Kong students under its major schemes. Nearly 2,000 scholars and fellows have completed their studies and are now working in Hong Kong in different sectors, contributing to the well-being and development of the society.
Ends/Sunday, March 28, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:41
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