Over 6 000 outstanding students awarded government scholarships in the 2023/24 academic year

Government awards scholarships to over 6,000 exceptional students for 2023/24 academic year

The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, today (April 25) presented certificates to awardees under the HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund (GSF) and the Self-financing Post-secondary Education Fund (SPEF) for the 2023/24 academic year at the GSF and SPEF Joint Scholarship Presentation Ceremony 2024.

Over 6 000 meritorious post-secondary students received scholarships and awards, amounting to about $180 million in total. Both the GSF and the SPEF also give recognition to meritorious post-secondary students with special educational needs (SEN) through the Endeavour Merit Award and the Endeavour Scholarship. This year, a total of around 580 SEN students were given the awards/scholarships.

Dr Choi said that the generous scholarship and award schemes not only highlight the Government's commitment to, and efforts in, nurturing talent, but also play an active role in developing Hong Kong as an international hub for post-secondary education.

The GSF was established in 2008 to attract outstanding local students to advance their studies at home, and meritorious non-local students to pursue higher education opportunities in Hong Kong. There are five types of scholarships and awards under the GSF, namely Scholarships for Outstanding Performance, Targeted Scholarship, Talent Development Scholarship, Reaching Out Award and Endeavour Merit Award. Scholarships and awards are offered to students studying full-time publicly funded sub-degree, undergraduate-level and above programmes. In the 2023/24 academic year, over 1 900 students received the scholarships/awards, including over 1 200 local students and about 700 non-local students. In terms of levels of study, about 1 300 students were at an undergraduate level and above, while about 600 students were at the sub-degree level.

In addition, the Belt and Road (B&R) Scholarship was introduced under the Targeted Scholarship Scheme to encourage students from B&R countries/regions to pursue studies in Hong Kong. In the 2023/24 academic year, 100 students from 21 B&R countries/regions have been awarded this scholarship for the first time.

The Self-financing Post-secondary Scholarship Scheme (SPSS) was established under the SPEF in 2011 to promote the quality and sustainable development of the self-financing post-secondary sector. There are five types of scholarships and awards under the scheme, namely Outstanding Performance Scholarship, Best Progress Award, Talent Development Scholarship, Reaching Out Award and Endeavour Scholarship. These scholarships and awards are offered to students pursuing full-time locally accredited self-financing sub-degree or undergraduate programmes. In the 2023/24 academic year, the SPEF offered scholarships and awards to about 3 800 local and about 300 non-local students. In terms of levels of study, about 2 300 of them pursued undergraduate studies while about 1 800 students were at the sub-degree level.

A list of participating institutions is at Annex I. A broad distribution of the scholarship recipients is set out at Annex II. Details of the scholarships and awards under the GSF are available at the Education Bureau's website (www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/postsecondary/local-higher-edu/publicly-funded-programmes/scholarship.html). Those under the SPSS as well as the SPEF are available at the Committee on Self-financing Post-secondary Education's website (www.cspe.edu.hk/en/index.html).

Over 6 000 outstanding students awarded government scholarships in the 2023/24 academic year Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Over 6 000 outstanding students awarded government scholarships in the 2023/24 academic year Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Over 6 000 outstanding students awarded government scholarships in the 2023/24 academic year Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Over 6 000 outstanding students awarded government scholarships in the 2023/24 academic year Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Over 6 000 outstanding students awarded government scholarships in the 2023/24 academic year Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Over 6 000 outstanding students awarded government scholarships in the 2023/24 academic year Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Source: AI-generated images

Government departments unite to tackle rainstorm impact head-on

A Government spokesman said today (May 4) that persistent rainstorm has caused flooding and landslides in various areas of Hong Kong. The relevant government departments have responded promptly, making every effort to minimise the impacts of heavy rain.

The Drainage Services Department (DSD) has been maintaining close liaison with the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) and making advance arrangements and preparations. The department activated the Emergency Control Centre this morning and deployed emergency response teams to proactively inspect locations prone to flooding, including Sai Kung and Tseung Kwan O areas. Various locations experienced flooding due to the heavy rainfall. Within a short period of time, the DSD mobilised about 70 emergency response teams, working closely with other works departments to handle flooding cases expeditiously. As the rainfall intensified, the DSD deployed additional manpower to handle the flooding cases and clear the drainage channels across the territory, involving over 160 emergency response teams comprising about 600 people. By 7.30pm, all 16 flooding cases, including 12 in Sai Kung and Tseung Kwan O areas, had been resolved. All cases were successfully handled within one to two hours upon receipt of reports, and the affected roads have mostly resumed normal operation.

The Emergency Control Centre of the Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) also started operation promptly after the HKO issued a landslip warning. By 7pm today, the GEO received a total of 15 reports of landslides in Sai Kung area. Inspections to the reported locations were immediately carried out and necessary slope emergency works were arranged. One of the landslide cases occurred in the Clearwater Bay Country Park above the Tseung Kwan O Stage II Restored Landfill. The Environmental Protection Department instantly deployed manpower and excavators to clear the debris and divert rainwater to nearby catchwaters or stormwater drains, thereby alleviating the flooding pressure in Tseung Kwan O.

Regarding the roads in Sai Kung district closed earlier today due to severe flooding, most of them were reopened in a short period of time and the traffic has resumed normal, attributable to the quick response of the DSD, the Transport Department (TD), the Highways Department (HyD), the Police, etc. The Emergency Transport Coordination Centre of the TD also escalated to a higher level to closely monitor the traffic conditions across the territory. It maintained close liaison with relevant government departments and public transport operators, and provided timely information to the public transport operators for appropriate operational arrangements. Under weather-permitting and manageable risk situations, affected public transport services would be resumed as soon as possible, or the extent of service disruption was minimised, to provide essential services to members of the public.

The Emergency Control Centres of the HyD were activated after the Red Rainstorm Warning Signal was in force today to co-ordinate the handling of road emergencies, including clearing roadside gullies blocked by muddy water and debris and cordoning off some carriageways so as to facilitate emergency repair of the collapsed slopes in some areas in Sai Kung and Tseung Kwan O where landslides and flooding occurred. At least one carriageway has been re-opened for public use.

In times of rainstorm warnings, the Fire Services Department by 7pm today handled 25 reports of Person Being Shut in Lift and 71 reports from automatic fire alarm systems. Fourteen persons were evacuated.

By 8pm today, the Government received 22 reports of fallen trees with no injuries.

The Government urges the public to stay away from slopes when landslip warnings are in effect or during heavy rain. Drivers should also avoid driving in hilly areas or parking their vehicles below slopes. Members of the public should stay away from trees and avoid stay under trees. Due to the inclement weather, there is a possibility of flash floods and landslides. The Government advises the public not to visit country parks.

In addition, the Home Affairs Department has opened nine temporary shelters located in Southern District on Hong Kong Island, Yau Tsim Mong and Kowloon City in Kowloon, and Tseung Kwan O and Sai Kung in the New Territories, for people in need. In Sai Kung, 12 District Services and Community Care Teams have been involved in the coping measures under the Red Rainstorm Warning, including Care Team members being on duty at the shelters to assist those in need.

Hong Kong is being affected by another band of intense thundery showers. The Government reminds the public to stay updated on the latest weather forecasts and traffic reports. The Government departments will continue to make every effort to carry out coping measures and relieving work, while Care Teams will continue to provide support to members of the public in need.

Source: AI-generated images