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About 200,000 students from 950 schools take part in life-wide learning (LWL) activities each year, the Permanent Secretary for Education, Mrs Cherry Tse, said today (October 31). The number of students benefiting from the Fund is growing, she added.
Speaking at the launch ceremony for Phase III of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Life-wide Learning Fund (the Fund), Mrs Tse said, "The Fund has been well received by schools. We are glad to see that schools have exercised their professional judgment in developing LWL programmes to help stretch students' potential for their whole-person development."
Mrs Tse also welcomed the donation of $240 million by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (Jockey Club) to launch Phase III of the Fund.
Also officiating at the ceremony today was the Steward of the Jockey Club, Mr Michael Lee. Several students receiving a subsidy from the Fund performed at the ceremony and shared details of their learning journey.
The Fund was established by the Education Bureau and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (the Trust) in 2002/03. Up to 2011/12 over $400 million had been donated by the Jockey Club through the Trust (in two five-year phases). Using the donations, the Fund provides subsidies to participating schools, which in turn offer financial assistance to students in need, enabling them to take part in LWL activities as part of the school's curriculum.
Around 100,000 students benefited from the Fund each year during Phase I (2002/03 to 2006/07). From the start of Phase II in 2007/08 onwards, over 200,000 students have benefited from the Fund each year. These students received the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance or full grant under the School Textbook Assistance Scheme (STAS), or were those identified as Other Needy Students (ONS) under the relevant school criteria.
The number of ONS has increased to around half of the total beneficiaries in recent years. The majority of these students are STAS half-grant recipients. Around 40,000 LWL activities subsidised by the Fund are organised each year to enrich students' learning experiences.
In light of the positive impact of the Fund on parents, students and schools, the Jockey Club has agreed to extend the operation of the Fund for another phase from 2012/13 to 2014/15 with a new donation of about $240 million for the purpose.
Information on the Fund is available at the EDB's website (www.edb.gov.hk).
Ends/Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:42
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