Students Experience Joy of Language Learning at EDB's 'Other Languages Experience Day'

EDB holds Experience Day on Other Languages

The Education Bureau (EDB) today (July 11) held the "Other Languages Experience Day: Learn. Showcase. Connect.", enabling students participating in the Pilot Scheme on Other Languages for Junior Secondary Students, funded by the Quality Education Fund, to showcase their learning achievements from the past school year through a variety of interactive booth games. The event also provided an opportunity for participants to engage with different languages in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, and experience together the joy of language learning.

Addressing the opening ceremony, the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, said that the Experience Day offers a platform for peer learning and mutual enrichment. Through diversified activities, it allows participants to experience the characteristics and appeal of various languages, thereby fostering respect and appreciation for cultural diversity.

Dr Choi said that the EDB remains committed to providing all-round support for schools to cultivate a rich language learning environment for students. She hopes that students can build on their strong foundation in biliterate and trilingual abilities to actively pursue opportunities for learning different languages. By equipping themselves well, they will become a new generation with a global vision who are rooted in Hong Kong and possess a deep sense of national identity.

Following the announcement by the Chief Executive in his Policy Address 2024, the EDB launched the Pilot Scheme on Other Languages for Junior Secondary Students in January last year, inviting all publicly-funded secondary schools (including special schools) offering the local junior secondary curriculum to apply for funding to provide junior secondary students with opportunities to learn other languages, with a view to cultivating an interest in learning, developing multilingual capabilities and thereby enhancing Hong Kong's international competitiveness.

The languages covered by the pilot scheme include Arabic, French, German, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu. In the 2025/26 school year, over 170 schools participated in the pilot scheme, with each school receiving a one-off funding of $250,000 to provide designated courses in other languages for their junior secondary students.

The Education Bureau held the "Other Languages Experience Day: Learn. Showcase. Connect." today (July 11). Photo shows the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin (left), interacting with students at a booth. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Education Bureau held the "Other Languages Experience Day: Learn. Showcase. Connect." today (July 11). Photo shows the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin (front row, second right); Deputy Secretary for Education, Dr Gloria Chan (front row, first right); Principal Assistant Secretary for Education (Curriculum Development), Ms Yvonne Lam (front row, first left); and member of the Quality Education Fund Steering Committee, Ms Lee Yi-ying (front row, second left), in a group picture with Other Languages student ambassadors. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Education Bureau held the "Other Languages Experience Day: Learn. Showcase. Connect." today (July 11). Photo shows the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, speaking at the opening ceremony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Employer sanctioned for violating requirements of local recruitment under Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme

The Labour Department (LD) today (August 10) announced the imposition of an administrative sanction on Waso Cafe (PE) Limited. With immediate effect, the LD has terminated the processing of the application previously submitted by the company under the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS). In parallel, the LD will, from today, refuse to process any applications for importing labour under the ESLS submitted by the above company for a period of one year.

"After investigation, the LD established that the above company had breached the requirements under the ESLS during the local recruitment exercise by providing false information to the LD while applying for the importation of waiters/waitresses, junior cooks and dish washers. An administrative sanction is thus imposed," a spokesman for the LD said.

The spokesman stressed, "Employers applying for the importation of workers under the ESLS should strictly comply with the scheme requirements, including according priority to employing suitable local workers. The ESLS stipulates that if an employer violates labour or immigration laws, the requirements of the ESLS, or the Standard Employment Contract, the LD will impose an administrative sanction on the employer. Such sanctions may include terminating the processing of submitted applications of the employer, withdrawing approvals for the importation of workers previously granted, and refusing to process any subsequent applications submitted by the employer."

The Labour Department, Photo source: reference image