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The Government today (July 17) announced that with effect from Monday, September 1, 2003, degree holders would be allowed to apply for the Continuing Education Fund (CEF).

An Education and Manpower Bureau spokesman said: "We have recently completed a review exercise on the various implementation arrangements of the CEF. Application for the CEF is currently limited to Hong Kong residents aged between 18 and 60 without a university degree."

"Taking into account the needs of degree holders in pursuing continuing education, the Government decides, upon consultation with the Legislative Council, that the eligibility to apply for the CEF should be relaxed to include degree holders," he said.

The CEF was launched in June 2002 to provide subsidy to our workforce for the pursuit of continuing education so as to better prepare them for the knowledge-based economy.

Those satisfying the eligibility criteria can apply for an account under the CEF from which he can obtain reimbursement of 80% of the course fee, subject to a maximum sum of $10,000, upon successful completion of an approved course (or courses). Each eligible applicant is allowed to submit a maximum of two claims within a two-year period for reimbursement of course fee.

Approved courses eligible for reimbursement belong to four industry sectors (logistics, financial services, China business and tourism) and three generic domains (language, design and interpersonal and intrapersonal skills for the workplace). At present, there are about 1,500 courses in the reimbursable course list.

"We are separately examining whether and how to include more sectors under the CEF. Appropriate announcements will be made in due course when the details have been worked out," the spokesman said.

A telephone hotline 3142 2277 is available to answer public enquiries on the CEF. Members of the public may also browse the website http://www.gov.hk/sfaa/cef for information on the Fund.

End/Thursday, July 17, 2003

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