School-based After School Care Service Scheme Honors Participants at Launching Ceremony for 2026/27 School Year

School-based After School Care Service Scheme commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony concludes

The commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony for the School-based After School Care Service Scheme was held today (June 11). The ceremony was held to express gratitude to all schools and operators that have participated in the School-based After School Care Service Scheme (the Scheme) over the past three years. The Holistic Care Award was presented to schools with the most participating students, the Active Participation Award honoured schools that have joined the Scheme since the first year, and a Certificate of Commendation was awarded to all participating schools and operators (details of the awardees are at the Annex).

The ceremony was officiated by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki. The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun; the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau; the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai; and the Director of Social Welfare, Mr Edward To, also attended the ceremony to witness the presentation of awards to the participating schools and operators.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Chan remarked that the Scheme allows primary students in need to stay after school for care and learning support, thereby giving parents who otherwise need to look after their children as full-time carers the option of taking up employment and hence improving their family's livelihood. Furthermore, with homework being completed at school, the Scheme alleviates the pressure on parents regarding supervision and care, which greatly improves the parent-child relationship and promotes family harmony.

Mr Chan also noted in the ceremony that the number of service places under the Scheme will remain uncapped in the 2026/27 school year. He called on all government, aided and Direct Subsidy Scheme primary schools across the territory to participate in the Scheme to support more families in need of care services.

The Government has implemented the Scheme since the 2023/24 school year. Under the Scheme, participating schools will provide venues, and the Community Care Fund will provide funding for non-governmental organisations to provide services for students who need to stay at school after school hours for care and learning support. The Scheme was implemented at 59 primary schools in seven districts, offering some 3 000 service places in the 2023/24 school year. It was expanded to 126 primary schools in all 18 districts across the territory, offering about 5 900 service places in the 2024/25 school year, and had its cap on the number of service places removed in the 2025/26 school year, offering over 10 500 service places at 207 primary schools.

The School-based After School Care Service Scheme commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony was held today (June 11). Photo shows the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki (back row, centre); the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun (back row, sixth left); the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau (back row, fifth left); the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai (back row, sixth right); the Director of Social Welfare, Mr Edward To (back row, fifth right), with students. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The School-based After School Care Service Scheme commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony was held today (June 11). Photo shows the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau (front row, fifth left) and the Director of Social Welfare, Mr Edward To (front row, fifth right) with awarded school representatives. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The School-based After School Care Service Scheme commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony was held today (June 11). Photo shows the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau (front row, fifth left) and the Director of Social Welfare, Mr Edward To (front row, fifth right) with awarded school representatives. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The School-based After School Care Service Scheme commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony was held today (June 11). Photo shows the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun (front row, eighth left) and the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai (front row, eighth right), with awarded school representatives. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The School-based After School Care Service Scheme commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony was held today (June 11). Photo shows the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun (front row, seventh left) and the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai (front row, eighth right), with awarded school representatives. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The School-based After School Care Service Scheme commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony was held today (June 11). Photo shows the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun (front row, eighth left) and the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai (front row, eighth right), with awarded school representatives. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The School-based After School Care Service Scheme commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony was held today (June 11). Photo shows the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki (front row, centre), with awarded school representatives. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The School-based After School Care Service Scheme commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony was held today (June 11). Photo shows the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki (front row, seventh left), with awarded school representatives. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The School-based After School Care Service Scheme commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony was held today (June 11). Photo shows the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki (sixth left), with awarded school representatives. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, speaks at the School-based After School Care Service Scheme commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony today (June 11). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The School-based After School Care Service Scheme commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony was held today (June 11). Photo shows the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki (centre); the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun (second left); the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau (first left); the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai (second right); and the Director of Social Welfare, Mr Edward To (first right), officiating at the launching ceremony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The School-based After School Care Service Scheme commendation ceremony and 2026/27 school year launching ceremony was held today (June 11). Photo shows the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki (first row, tenth left); the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun (first row, tenth right); the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau (first row, ninth right); the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai (first row, ninth left); the Director of Social Welfare, Mr Edward To (first row, eighth left), with all other guests. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Commissioner of Police visits Netherlands and Switzerland

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Chow Yat-ming, attended the 19th Pearls in Policing Conference at The Hague, the Netherlands, from June 7 to 9 (The Hague time), and visited Zurich, Switzerland, from June 10 to 11 (Zurich time) to exchange views with local law enforcement agencies.

Mr Chow attended the 19th Pearls in Policing Conference at The Hague, the Netherlands, from June 7 to 9. The theme of the conference was "Charting the Horizon: Law Enforcement Leadership in the Next Era", with law enforcement leaders from 18 countries and regions, academics and representatives of international organisations.

He attended panel discussions, keynote speech sessions and visit activities, and discussed with other participants the challenges ahead for policing work, as well as how relevant organisations and personnel can equip themselves to meet those challenges.

In addition, Mr Chow attended a presentation delivered by the International Action Learning Group (IALG), of which a representative from the Hong Kong Police Force is a member. Through discussions, field visits and group work, the IALG envisions sustainable leadership in policing, focusing on values-based leadership, global collaboration, ethical policing, innovation and community safety.

Mr Chow arrived in Zurich on June 10 and visited the Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) to meet with the Head of the MROS, Mr Anton Brönnimann; the Head of the Economic Crimes Division of the Swiss Federal Police, Mr Yanick Favre; the Head of INTERPOL National Central Bureau Switzerland, Mr Charles Marchon, and the Head of the Economic Crimes Division of the Zurich Cantonal Police, Ms Tanja Fuchs.

Both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on opportunities for co-operation in financial investigations, with particular emphasis on asset tracing, including fund flow analysis, virtual asset tracking and public-private partnerships, and explored feasible directions for strengthening intelligence exchange and professional collaboration. They also exchanged views on combating cross-border money laundering activities, enhancing law enforcement effectiveness, and addressing emerging challenges posed by fintech-related crimes. Both sides expressed their hope to enhance capabilities in combating economic and financial crimes through sustained exchanges and co-operation, thereby jointly safeguarding the security and stability of the international financial system.

Mr Chow returned to Hong Kong today (June 12, Hong Kong time).

Commissioner of Police visits Netherlands and Switzerland Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Commissioner of Police visits Netherlands and Switzerland Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Commissioner of Police visits Netherlands and Switzerland Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases