The following is issued on behalf of the Education Commission:
 
     The Chairman of the Education Commission, Mr Tim Lui, today (November 25) welcomed the education initiatives announced in "The Chief Executive's 2020 Policy Address".

     Mr Lui said, "Education is the key to nurturing talent. As the Chairman of the Education Commission, I welcome the Government's commitments to strengthening its role in policy making, implementation and monitoring, with new initiatives in various areas such as e-learning, values education, curriculum reform, teachers' professional development, school governance as well as university research to further enhance the quality of education.

     "I am pleased to note that the Education Bureau (EDB) will set aside $2 billion in the Quality Education Fund to launch a three-year programme to enhance support for schools and teachers to implement blended learning under the 'new normal'. Apart from providing ancillary support for e-learning such as encouraging the sharing of quality e-learning teaching and learning materials, the programme will help ensure that all students will have the appropriate devices and support services and thereby equal opportunities to e-learning.
 
     "I also welcome the Government's plan to launch the 'Global STEM Professorship Scheme' to step up support for universities to attract internationally renowned professors in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-related disciplines and their teams to work in Hong Kong and conduct STEM-related research. This will enable our universities to enhance our pool of talents from around the world and scale new heights in STEM teaching and research."
 
     Mr Lui added, "I fully support the Government's provision of diversified activities to cultivate primary and secondary students' comprehensive understanding of the nation's development, the Constitution and the Basic Law, the implementation of 'one country, two systems', the importance of national security, and the need to respect and preserve the dignity of the national flag and the national anthem in order to foster positive values among students as well as instil in them a sense of identity, belonging and responsibility towards our nation and our society.
 
     "Teachers play a pivotal role in passing on knowledge to students and nurturing their character. I welcome the Government's endeavours to enhance the quality of teachers through measures covering entry to the profession, training and management."
 
     He added, "Success in education requires the collaborative efforts of all who care about our next generation. I believe that the EDB will work closely with stakeholders when rolling out the education initiatives. The Education Commission will continue to render advice to further enhance the quality of education in Hong Kong and nurture talent so as to foster the continual social and economic development of Hong Kong."

Ends/Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Issued at HKT 18:52

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