SED speaks at Education World Forum in UK (with photos)
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     The Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, yesterday (January 23, London time) continued to attend the Education World Forum in London, the United Kingdom.
      
     Speaking at one of the keynote sessions, Mr Yeung shared with education ministers and policy advisers from around the world his thoughts on "Learning to learn in times of rapid change".
      
     "To respond to the rapid changes in our increasingly complex and globalised world, our 'learning to learn' curriculum reform, which started in 2001, has been bringing about a curriculum and pedagogical change that fosters students' whole-person development, positive values and attitudes, as well as their 'learning to learn' capabilities, with the ultimate goal of lifelong learning," he said.
      
     Over the past two decades, the advancement of information technology (IT) has enabled students to gain access to a vast amount of information on the Internet, and connect and collaborate with their peers in the world anytime and anywhere.
      
     Therefore the Education Bureau has devised and implemented in a timely manner four rounds of strategy on IT in education to improve IT infrastructure, e-learning resources, teachers' professional capacity and students' digital literacy.
      
     With the concerted efforts of various stakeholders, Hong Kong's students have attained some pleasing achievements. For instance, Hong Kong students continued to have remarkable achievements in reading, mathematics and science in the Programme for International Student Assessment 2015.
      
     The recently released results on collaborative problem solving, which was assessed for the first time in the same study, showed Hong Kong's 15-year-old students ranked third in the world.
      
     Another key area that the Education Bureau has attached great importance to in recent years is the promotion of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education.
      
     "We updated the curricula of science, technology and mathematics to feature more prominently hands-on and minds-on activities, with an emphasis on strengthening students' ability in integration and application of knowledge and skills across disciplines, as well as fostering their innovation and entrepreneur spirit," Mr Yeung said.
      
     Equally important is the promotion of STEM-related learning activities outside the classroom ranging from exhibitions to competitions to inspire and help the younger generation.
      
     Mr Yeung pledged that the Education Bureau would continue to foster a collaborative culture and engage the participation of schools, teachers and other stakeholders.
      
     Hong Kong will continue to draw reference from Eastern and Western pedagogical approaches and culture and build a Hong Kong-Mainland-global professional exchange platform.
      
     After the keynote session, Mr Yeung visited School 21 in Stratford, East London.
      
     Established in 2012 to offer education to students aged 4 to 18 and rated "outstanding" in the UK, the school places emphasis on ensuring high achievements for all, regardless of their background.
      
     In addition to touring the school campus, Mr Yeung chatted with the school management, teachers and students to learn more about their education beliefs, pedagogical approaches and the students' learning process and outcomes.
      
     Mr Yeung then paid a courtesy call on the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the UK, Mr Liu Xiaoming, to update him on the recent developments of education in Hong Kong.

Ends/Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Issued at HKT 11:05

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