Five secondary school students representing Hong Kong achieved pleasing results at the 50th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO), winning five silver medals. The IPhO aims at nurturing students who are talented in physics, as well as promoting physics education and enhancing contacts and co-operation among scientists all over the world. This year, the IPhO was held from July 7 to 14 in Tel Aviv, Israel, with around 360 students from 81 countries/regions participating in the event.
      
     The five silver medallists were Chau Chun-wang (St Margaret's Co-educational English Secondary and Primary School), Gaurav Arya (King George V School), Li Tat-sang (Sing Yin Secondary School), Jeff Kwan (St Paul's Co-educational College) and Lau Sze-chun (Diocesan Boys' School).
      
     The Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, congratulated the Hong Kong team today (July 16) on their remarkable performance. "The impressive results achieved by the Hong Kong team this year showcase their potential in physics. The Education Bureau will continue to support and nurture more students with talent and interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) to strengthen Hong Kong's competitiveness globally," Mr Yeung said.
      
     "The Government attaches great importance to the nurturing of talents by providing policy and resources support to the development of gifted education. The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council in October last year approved an injection of $800 million into the Gifted Education Fund. Funding support would be provided not only to the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) for the enhancement of its services but also to different organisations for offering diversified off-school advanced learning programmes to gifted students in order to unleash their potential," he added.
      
     "In addition, the Education Bureau will continue to support schools in various aspects to promote STEM education. The Quality Education Fund will, as from August 1, receive a new round of applications for 2019/20, with 'STEM Education' as one of the seven priority themes. We will also introduce in the new school year the Life-wide Learning Grant. Schools can make use of the new resources to organise diversified experiential learning activities, including those related to STEM education, to enable students to fully develop their potential."
      
     The members of the Hong Kong team distinguished themselves in the Hong Kong Physics Olympiad last year. They subsequently completed the physics enhancement programme provided by the HKAGE. The outstanding students in the programme were then selected as contestants representing Hong Kong to participate in the IPhO this year. The Hong Kong team was fully funded by the Education Bureau to join this competition.

Ends/Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Issued at HKT 9:30

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