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In response to press enquiries about gifted education, a spokesman for the Education Bureau today (August 16) said the bureau had always strived to support and bring up gifted students, and stretch their potential with the concerted effort of the school and tertiary education sectors.
The spokesman said that the enhanced support for gifted students had begun to bear fruit in recent years. Their achievements were recognised and could be seen in a haul of awards in various programmes and competitions.
Since the launch of the Support Measures for the Exceptionally Gifted Students Scheme in 2001, more than 6,000 gifted students have received training in various areas. Those representing Hong Kong in national, regional and international mathematics and science competitions had made great achievements, with 22 gold medals, 69 silver medals, 119 bronze medals and numerous merit awards.
In addition, some junior secondary students nominated by the department to participate in international competitions also performed remarkably despite their relatively young age. Examples of these were Special Prize for the Youngest Participant in China Western Mathematical Olympiad 2002 and Bronze in the Asian Pacific Mathematical Olympiad 2007.
Fourteen-year-old Ho Hoi-lam, who scored eight As and 5* in Chinese Language in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination 2007, was also a beneficiary of the Support Measures for the Exceptionally Gifted Students Scheme.
The spokesman explained that gifted education was currently implemented based on a three-tiered structure. The first two levels encouraged high ability and gifted students to be nurtured through school-based programmes. To this end, the bureau had been taking various support measures including providing teacher training and professional advice on curriculum development. Citing as an example the 2006-07 school year alone, some 2000 teachers had been trained.
If individual students are found to have outstanding academic performance as compared with their peers of the same age group, schools may consider accelerating their study through a suitable means, such as grade-skipping in individual or all subjects. However, schools must consider their ability and needs in all aspects before making a prudent and appropriate decision.
In addition to providing advice, where necessary, the bureau is consolidating a set of guidelines on acceleration which is expected to be finalised and issued in the 2007-08 school year. The guidelines are in line with the findings of a number of studies in Europe and the United States that the benefits of acceleration to students hinge on curriculum design which should cater for students' unique ability and all-round development.
As for the third level of gifted education, off-site support and thematic training programmes were organised for exceptionally gifted students in collaboration with tertiary and related institutions. Over the past six years, about 6,000 students have benefited from the programmes and were set to excel in their studies and other aspects.
Last year, the Chief Executive announced in his Policy Address the Government's plan to establish an academy for gifted education, an organising body to further expand the scope of the training programmes and beneficiaries. The preparatory work is now under way and the body is expected to come into operation in the 2007-08 school year, providing diversified training for 3,000 gifted students from primary and secondary schools per year.
Ends/Thursday, August 16, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:10
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