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The Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, today (July 24) visited Tsuen Wan District, where he had a dialogue with young people participating in summer activities at the Tsuen Wan Youth S.P.O.T. and exchanged views on various issues with district councillors and local school principals.
Accompanied by the Chairman of the Tsuen Wan District Council, Mr Chan Iu-seng, and the District Officer (Tsuen Wan), Miss Jenny Yip, Mr Ng visited the Tsuen Wan Youth S.P.O.T. at the Commercial Complex of Clague Garden Estate on Hoi Shing Road. Run by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, the youth centre adopts a three-pronged approach, namely academic support, self-enhancement through learning and social experience, in providing venues and opportunities for young people to explore and develop their potential.
The centre provides a variety of facilities including a computer room, a study room, a dancing room, indoor climbing facilities, a drum set room, piano rooms and uCafé.
Mr Ng said he was pleased to know that the centre has provided 333 summer activities with over 4,400 places to cater for young people's needs during the summer holiday. These activities include music and sports classes, a singing contest, dessert making, adventure training and volunteer services.
Noting that learning experiences beyond the classroom are of paramount importance to young people, Mr Ng said, "The new Senior Secondary Curriculum has provided students with other learning experiences (OLE), including physical development, aesthetic development, moral and civic education, community service as well as career-related experiences. These experiences are conducive to the whole-person development and personal growth of students.
"Besides OLE, the Education Bureau will provide every public sector secondary school which has senior secondary classes with an annual subsidy of about $500,000 starting from the new academic year for strengthening life planning support to help students better understand themselves and their aspirations so that they can set their own goals as early as possible and make informed choices of further studies and career development."
During his visit to Tsuen Wan, Mr Ng also met district councillors and gauged their views on local affairs. The SED then met with representatives of the principals of local primary and secondary schools and exchanged views on various education issues.
Ends/Thursday, July 24, 2014
Issued at HKT 17:01
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