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The following is issued on behalf of the Quality Education Fund Steering Committee:
The Chairman of the Quality Education Fund (QEF) Steering Committee, Mr Duffy Wong, today (April 11) said that the QEF has been supporting dissemination of innovations in quality teaching and learning through the establishment of QEF Thematic Networks, the sharing of project deliverables and the increase of designated retail outlets.
"The QEF aims to galvanise school initiatives in enhancing the quality of student learning by supporting innovation, generating knowledge and disseminating effective practices," Mr Wong said when announcing the priority themes for QEF applications to be effective in April this year.
"To promote a sharing culture and collaborative professional development, about 320 titles of QEF deliverables covering Language Education, Living and Thinking, Home-School Co-operation, Special Educational Needs, Teaching and Learning and Moral and Civic Education have been published since 2003. At present 100 titles are available for sale at 22 designated retail outlets and online purchase at the enhanced QEF Cyber Resource Centre."
Mr Wong added, "Deliverables on pre-primary education, supporting students with special educational needs and language education are the most popular among teachers and parents."
The QEF encourages school-based innovation and will continue to support the application of innovations across the school sector. Applicants are encouraged to adapt try-out ideas to suit their own school contexts and favourable consideration will be given to projects that can actualise school development plans that would address schools' specific needs.
"The QEF will take heed and introduce priority themes for QEF applications in April 2012 with a view to promoting innovative projects to enhance the quality of education," Mr Wong said.
The nine priority themes for 2012/13 are:
* Effective Learning and Teaching of Languages;
* Assessment for Learning;
* National Education;
* Creative Arts and Culture Education;
* Healthy Lifestyle and Positive Development of Students;
* Education for Sustainable Development;
* Support to Students with Special Educational Needs;
* Promoting Whole Child Development in Pre-primary Education; and
* Supporting Effective School Management and/or Teacher Wellness.
Applicants are welcome to propose other innovative projects that meet the needs of schools or enhance the quality of school education.
A series of briefing sessions will be organised from May to August 2012 to familiarise potential applicants with the priority themes and the application rules. Details of the application rules will be uploaded to the QEF website (qef.org.hk) on April 16.
The QEF was established in 1998 with capital of $5 billion to support community initiatives that promote quality education in Hong Kong. Since its establishment, the Fund has supported over 8,000 applications with grants amounting to about $3.9 billion.
Ends/Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Issued at HKT 16:59
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