The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited Yan Chai Hospital Wong Wha San Secondary School in Tseung Kwan O today (March 23) to know more about e-learning matters arranged by teachers for students during the class suspension. She also thanked the teaching staff for supporting students to continue learning at home.
      
     Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for Education, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, Mrs Lam listened to the briefing by the principal, Mr Yau Siu-hung, on the use of different e-learning software to maintain students' motivation and interest in learning during the class suspension period. Mrs Lam noted that the school has been making good use of information technology in teaching for years. Each student will be given a tablet computer during secondary one to facilitate their m-learning. She also observed teachers of the school conducting a real-time class for secondary six students through online video-conference software, and chatted with secondary one students during their online small group sharing session to learn about their coursework activities at home.
      
     Mrs Lam was pleased to note that besides e-learning, different schools have adopted other effective means to support students during the class suspension such as distributing coursework and other learning materials to students via emails, school websites, e-learning platforms or by post, and counselling students by telephone or communicating with students and parents through mobile applications to provide learning and emotional support for students. She said that the Government is also very concerned about the e-learning of students from grassroots families. Since the 2018/19 school year, the Community Care Fund has been providing subsidies to primary and secondary students in need under an assistance programme for purchasing mobile computer devices. The eligibility for applications has been extended to all primary and secondary schools which have implemented e-learning during the class suspension period in view of the epidemic. In addition, through the Anti-epidemic Fund, the Student Grant for the 2019/20 school year has been increased by $1,000 from $2,500 to $3,500 per student to help parents pay for expenses when purchasing devices for e-learning, etc. The grant is being disbursed progressively.
      
     Mrs Lam said that the situation of the disease is still severe and may last for a period of time. She appealed to schools, headmasters, teachers, parents and students to actively join in with the Government's work and fight the disease together.
      
     During the visit, Mrs Lam presented the Chief Executive's Award for Teaching Excellence (2018/2019) to the school teacher, Mr Foo Yun-wai, and visited the school hall which is a venue prepared for holding the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination.

Ends/Monday, March 23, 2020
Issued at HKT 23:29

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