Signing of co-operation arrangement with New Zealand on development of Qualifications Frameworks (with photo)
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     The Education Bureau (EDB) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority today (March 28) signed the Cooperation Arrangement on the Development of Qualifications Frameworks (QFs) in Wellington, New Zealand.

     The signing of the arrangement was witnessed by the Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, and the Secretary for Education of the New Zealand Government, Mr Peter Hughes.

     This arrangement builds on the Arrangement on Education Cooperation between the EDB of the HKSAR Government and the Ministry of Education, New Zealand, which was signed on October 13, 2011.

     "The signing of the co-operation arrangement is a milestone for the development of QFs as it is the first of its kind signed by the HKSAR Government with jurisdiction in the Asia Pacific region," Mr Ng said.

     "The arrangement acknowledges the importance of QFs in supporting lifelong learning and gives new impetus to an extensive range of co-operative activities including the exchange of experience in the development and implementation of QFs, and the exploration of the compatibility of the Hong Kong QF and the New Zealand QF. I look forward to closer partnership between Hong Kong and New Zealand in developing QFs.

     "The co-operation arrangement will facilitate the benchmarking and recognition of the QFs developed in the two places," he added.

     Mr Ng is also leading a delegation representing the HKSAR Government to attend the International Summit on the Teaching Profession 2014 in New Zealand.

Ends/Friday, March 28, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:08

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