Forty-three persons in custody (PICs) at Lo Wu Correctional Institution (LWCI) of the Correctional Services Department (CSD) were presented with certificates at a ceremony today (March 20) in recognition of their continuous efforts in pursuing further studies.

     In 2023, a total of 93 PICs at LWCI passed 162 papers with 78 distinctions and credits in various courses and public examinations covering different subjects including language and literature, English language, business finance, economics, marketing and psychology, organised by the Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU), the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Caritas Institute of Community Education. The 43 PICs who were awarded certificates today passed 73 papers with 34 distinctions and credits. Among them, one PIC was awarded a Bachelor's Degree in Social Sciences and one was awarded an Associate Degree in Business Administration by the HKMU.

     Officiating at the ceremony, the Chairman of Tung Sin Tan (TST), Mr Ha Tak-kin, said that TST has been highly supportive of the rehabilitation work of the CSD. TST set up the Tung Sin Education Fund in 2016 to provide an education subsidy to financially needy PICs, and to promote continuous education of PICs so as to prepare themselves for reintegration into society.

     The ceremony featured a music and dance drama performed by PICs. In addition, nine PICs turned into fashion models and wore the cheongsams they made in a fashion show to showcase their training achievements in a workshop on Chinese cheongsam history and production techniques organised by the Cultural Inheritance and Development Foundation.

     In a sharing session, a PIC from a single-parent family shared her experiences in the course of rehabilitation. Reflecting on the heavy price she has paid for committing crime, the PIC decided to resume her studies and developed her interest in painting by participating in a design competition oragnised by the institution, thereby finding her direction in life. At last, she thanked her grandparents for their unwavering support which has reinforced her determination to rehabilitate, and her hopes to take care of them after release.

     LWCI is a medium security institution for female adult convicted PICs, female adult remand PICs and female adult drug addicts undergoing treatment programmes under the Drug Addiction Treatment Centres Ordinance.

Ends/Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Issued at HKT 17:30

NNNN