The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, led the National Day and Professional Exchange Delegation from Hong Kong Education Sector to visit Changsha today (September 23) to learn about the local education development and participate in cultural study tours.
 
     The delegation this year was organised for the first time after the epidemic, comprising over 140 participants, including representatives from professional education groups and various advisory bodies of the Education Bureau (EDB), as well as principals and teachers of primary and secondary schools and kindergartens. Under the theme "Innovation and Technology Spearheads Development, Education Creates the Future", the visit aims to deepen the sector's understanding of the innovation and technology, education, history and culture of the country, and to promote exchanges between the education workers in Hong Kong and on the Mainland, thereby broadening their professional perspectives.
 
     Dr Choi expressed her gratitude to the Ministry of Education, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Department of Education of Hunan Province and various units for their support and assistance, which facilitated the smooth organisation of this meaningful National Day celebration and exchange event.
 
     Dr Choi and the delegation today toured the Yuelu Academy, one of the ancient academies on the Mainland. They also visited the National Supercomputing Center in Changsha, the third of its kind in the country and the first in Central and Western China officially approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology, to learn about the development of high-performance computing, big data and artificial intelligence, as well as their application in teaching. In the evening, they met Member of the Standing Committee and Head of Publicity Department of CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, Mr Yang Haodong; and officials of the Department of Education of Hunan Province to exchange views on multiple issues.
 
     Yesterday (September 22), Dr Choi and the delegation arrived in Changsha. Dr Choi visited Hunan Normal University and met its leaders to discuss teachers' exchange activities and training on the Mainland. Members of the delegation conducted group visits to different schools in Changsha. They observed classes, interacted with Mainland teachers and gained a deeper understanding of the characteristics of Changsha's education.
 
     Dr Choi said that the EDB had arranged more than 40 000 senior secondary students and 5 000 teachers to study in Guangdong through the Mainland study tours of the senior secondary subject of Citizenship and Social Development last school year. Their feedback was very positive. The study tours this school year have included multiple routes beyond Guangdong Province, among which the one in Hunan Province is designed for students to learn about the economy, people's livelihood and ecological conservation on the Mainland. She encouraged Hong Kong schools to proactively arrange students to participate in the study tours to enable them to learn more about the history, culture and rapid development of Hunan Province.
 
     In addition, Dr Choi visited Wuhan on September 20 and 21, and met officials of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Hubei Provincial People's Government and the Department of Education of Hubei Province to explore ways to further promote education exchanges and co-operation between Hubei and Hong Kong. She also visited Central China Normal University to attend an expert seminar, and met Hong Kong students studying in Hubei.
 
     Dr Choi will call on the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Hunan Provincial People's Government tomorrow morning (September 24) to discuss collaboration on promotion of education development in Hunan and Hong Kong. Dr Choi will depart for Beijing in the afternoon and continue the visit with the delegation.

Ends/Saturday, September 23, 2023
Issued at HKT 20:57

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