The Secretary for Education (SED), Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, participated in home visits in Kowloon City District today (June 3) under the "Celebrations for All" project. Together with student volunteers, Mr Ng visited elderly households in the district, bringing them the love and care of the Hong Kong community.
 
     Today's home visits were one of the activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Mr Ng first attended the launch ceremony for the "Celebrations for All" home visits in Kowloon City District. He thanked the Chairman of the Lok Sin Tong (LST) Benevolent Society, Kowloon, Mr Eric Kwok Yu-won; its Chief Executive, Ms Alice Lau; and the LST Buddy volunteers for their participation in the home visits, and led about 500 volunteers in taking an oath and going through the launch ceremony.

     Mr Ng then went to Lok Man Sun Chuen with Kowloon City District Council Chairman Mr Pun Kwok-wah, District Officer (Kowloon City) Mr Franco Kwok Wai-fan, representatives of the Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society, Kowloon and student volunteers. There they visited single or couple-occupied elderly households to learn about their living conditions and needs, and gave them gift packs to share the joy of the anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR.

     Mr Ng grew up in Kowloon City and attended primary school there. Having lived there until his 20s, he feels a special attachment to it and also to the community spirit of its residents.

     Mr Ng said that the home visits were very meaningful and showed the care of the Government, non-governmental organisations and young people towards the community. He said he believed that all the people concerned, in their respective positions and among their community networks, would follow up on and support those in need, and promote social progress together in the spirit of "Together．Progress．Opportunity".

     Other officials who participated in today's home visits included the Permanent Secretary for Education, Mrs Marion Lai; the Under Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung; the Deputy Secretary for Education, Mrs Hong Chan Tsui-wah; the Head of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency, Mr Esmond Lee; the Administrative Assistant to the SED, Mr Edward Yu; and Political Assistant to the SED Mr Jeff Sze.

     Ten social welfare/community organisations have joined the "Celebrations for All" home visits in Kowloon City District. They will deploy volunteers in batches to visit 26 700 single or couple-occupied elderly households and needy families in the district and distribute gift packs to them.

     In addition, the Education Bureau and the education sector have been organising other events in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, including major international events like the World Organisation for Early Childhood Education Asia Pacific Regional Conference 2017 held last month and the Vocational and Professional Education and Training International Conference 2017 and the WorldSkills Hong Kong Competition and Carnival 2017 to be held in the middle of this month.

Ends/Saturday, June 3, 2017
Issued at HKT 11:52

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