Information Expo for secondary school leavers opens (with photos)
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     The Education Bureau has launched various services to secondary school leavers, including the provision of comprehensive information on multiple learning pathways through the Information Portal for Accredited Self-financing Post-secondary Programmes (iPASS) website.

     This followed the release of the report on Phase Two Review of Post-Secondary Education Sector several months ago, the Principal Assistant Secretary for Education (Further Education), Mr Daniel Cheng, said today (August 2).

     Officiating at the Information Expo for Secondary School Leavers 2008, Mr Cheng said the "iPASS" (www.ipass.gov.hk) website contained information on self-financing higher diploma, associate degree and degree programmes offered by various institutions in the 2008-09 academic year, such as the programmes' duration, tuition fees and entry requirements.

     The iPASS also provided details on accreditation and recognition by the relevant professional bodies. This would enable students to find out whether individual programmes had been recognised by the professional bodies concerned, Mr Cheng said.

     The Info Expo is held from today to Tuesday (August 5) at the Hong Kong Exhibition Centre in the China Resources Building, Wan Chai. It is organised by the Education Bureau, with the Hong Kong Association of Careers Masters and Guidance Masters and the Hong Kong Education City as co-organisers. More than 20 education and vocational training institutions participate in the Expo. The Expo provides comprehensive information on the multiple learning pathways, including locally accredited post-secondary programmes and vocational training courses.

     This year's Info Expo is staged in a more spacious venue to accommodate more visitors and the exhibition period this year has been extended from two days to four days. Admission is free.

     To facilitate students to choose study programmes that best suit their needs, the Education Bureau this year has made arrangements with the participating institutions for students to obtain better enquiry services and to allow them to submit applications on site.  

     Talks on various topics will be held at the Expo, such as the iPASS website, tips for Secondary Five graduates, Secondary Six Admission Procedure and further studies for Secondary 7 graduates. Information services for the non-Chinese speaking students are also available.
    
     The Labour Department will introduce the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme and the Youth Work Experience and Training Scheme to visitors.

     The Education Bureau, in co-operation with the Hong Kong Association of Careers Masters and Guidance Masters, has also produced two careers guidance handbooks for Secondary 5 and Secondary 7 students respectively. The electronic versions of the handbooks can be downloaded from www.edb.gov.hk/cgs .  

     An exhibition and joint registration for Project Yi Jin will be held on August 9 and 10 at the Hong Kong International Trade and Exhibition Centre in Kowloon Bay. For details, please check the website www.edb.org.hk/yijin.

Ends/Saturday, August 2, 2008
Issued at HKT 13:13

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