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The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education:
The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) aims to become a world-class institution for gifted education with an effective framework for delivery of appropriate services to encourage and nurture exceptionally gifted students.
Introducing the vision and strategic plans of the recently formed HKAGE at a media briefing today (July 12), Dr Stephen Tommis, who assumed the post of executive director of the academy in February, said the institution would also provide support to the teachers and parents of gifted students as well as other researchers and related organisations within Hong Kong.
"It has always been the intention that the academy would cater for more than students. If we are to make a real impact on gifted education it is important that we include parents and teachers and share the information and best practices that exist in Hong Kong and around the world," Dr Tommis said.
He said HKAGE would strive to secure appropriate learning and development opportunities for gifted students to enable them to realise their potential in learning domains including leadership, creativity and inter-personal skills, and to cater for their social and emotional needs as well as their sense of commitment to the local community.
"The target student population is those who are exceptionally gifted as defined by those who consistently perform in the top 2% of their age cohort. Initially, the academy will concentrate its provision on the 10-18 age group with the Support Programmes for the Exceptionally Gifted but hopes to extend the age range in time."
The academy expects to provide for 10,000 - 12,000 students between 2008 and 2011, or about 3,500 students each year.
To facilitate the professional development of teachers in their identification of and support for gifted students, HKAGE will provide diversified training opportunities in generic areas of gifted education. "It is expected that around 600 teachers each year will benefit," Dr Tommis said.
As the role of parenting a gifted child is vital, particularly in working with schools, HKAGE will open a Consultation Centre in October in which its helpline (contact details to be made available on its website) will offer free information and advice.
"This is an exciting time for gifted young people in Hong Kong," Dr Tommis said. "The Education Bureau has done much in recent years to place gifted education on the agenda of teachers and parents. We now need to build on this and provide the means whereby we can support all those involved with gifted students so that they stand the best possible chance of reaching their potential."
Introducing the structure of HKAGE, he said that apart from the frontline Student Division, Parent Division and Teacher Division to cater for these three types of stakeholders, the academy also had a research division to partner closely with local and overseas universities as well as to initiate and conduct research to provide evidence-based advice on services for the gifted, effective pedagogy and government policy. The fifth division, which is supportive in nature, is the Corporate Services division.
Also attending today's media session were the Chairman of HKAGE, Mr Irving Koo; the Deputy Secretary for Education, Mr Chris Wardlaw; and the Associate Director (Designate) of the academy, Mr Abraham Tang.
Ends/Saturday, July 12, 2008
Issued at HKT 15:51
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