61 students awarded scholarships for excellence
The Acting Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai, today (August 26) officiated at the Award Presentation Ceremony 2026 of the Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme (HKSES). Sixty-one students were selected as the 12th cohort of awardees.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Sze said that education and talent development are keys to the nation's success. The Government has long attached great importance to youth development, and the HKSES highlights the Government's determination to build Hong Kong into an international hub for high-calibre talent. He hoped that the awardees would capitalise on showcasing Hong Kong's vitality and strength on the international stage, telling good stories of Hong Kong, contributing their strengths upon their return, and injecting new impetus into Hong Kong's development.
Fifty-two of the awardees will be pursuing undergraduate studies and nine will be pursuing postgraduate studies at world-renowned universities. These include not only top-notch comprehensive universities but also world-class institutions specialising in particular disciplines.
The awardees will pursue a wide spectrum of disciplines, with over half of them pursuing programmes related to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Other disciplines include law, arts, culture and performing arts, medical and health sciences, and social sciences. The distribution of the awardees by different disciplines is shown in the Annex.
A total of 738 applicants competed for this year's HKSES. Apart from outstanding academic achievements, the awardees also demonstrated excellence in their leadership qualities. As the selection process is ongoing, more applicants may be offered the scholarship after today's ceremony.
Launched in November 2014, the HKSES has been regularised since the 2019/20 academic year. It aims to support local students to pursue studies at world-renowned universities outside Hong Kong with a view to grooming a top cadre of talent with global vision, an international network and world-class education, thereby contributing to enhancing Hong Kong's competitiveness as Asia's world city in a globalised knowledge economy. Since its introduction, the HKSES has benefited 1 070 students. The key features of the scholarship scheme are available at the HKSES website (hkses.edb.gov.hk).
The application details of the next cohort of the HKSES will be announced shortly.
The Acting Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai (front row, centre), is pictured with the awardees at the Award Presentation Ceremony 2026 of the Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme today (August 26). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Acting Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai, speaks at the Award Presentation Ceremony 2026 of the Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme today (August 26). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in August
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (August 26) released the fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in August, covering 18 survey areas, as follows:
| District | Survey Area | August 2026 |
| First Phase Gravidtrap Index | First Phase Density Index |
| Central and Western | Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui | 5.5% | 1.0 |
| Eastern | North Point and Quarry Bay | 5.0% | 1.3 |
| Sham Shui Po | Sham Shui Po and Shek Kip Mei | 6.8% | 1.0 |
| Yau Tsim | Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Ma Tei | 0.0% | N/A |
| North | Sheung Shui | 6.5% | 1.0 |
| Sai Kung | Tseung Kwan O North | 9.1% | 1.0 |
| Sha Tin | Ma On Shan | 8.3% | 1.0 |
| Kwai Tsing | Kwai Chung East | 2.3% | 1.0 |
| Tsuen Wan | Tsuen Wan Town | 5.2% | 1.0 |
| Tuen Mun | Tuen Mun South | 5.5% | 1.3 |
| District | Survey Area | August 2026 |
| Area Gravidtrap Index | Area Density Index |
| Central and Western | Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Pun | 19.5% | 1.4 |
| Southern | Pok Fu Lam | 7.0% | 1.1 |
| Islands | Cheung Chau | 1.8% | 1.0 |
| Sham Shui Po | Cheung Sha Wan | 9.3% | 1.9 |
| Wong Tai Sin | Ngau Chi Wan and San Po Kong | 6.4% | 1.4 |
| North | Fanling South | 5.8% | 1.2 |
| Kwai Tsing | Kwai Chung West | 7.8% | 1.0 |
| Yuen Long | Yuen Long Town | 13.6% | 1.3 |
During the rainy season, the FEHD continues to carry out a series of mosquito prevention and elimination measures, including:
- interdepartmental collaboration: convening special meetings of the interdepartmental task forces on anti-mosquito work to co-ordinate relevant departments and stakeholders (such as construction site contractors, schools and property management companies) in strengthening mosquito control work at venues;
- precise risk assessments: carrying out intensive and targeted mosquito control work at locations with more serious mosquito infestations, including stepping up inspections, eliminating mosquito breeding and potential breeding grounds, applying larvicides, conducting fogging operations to eradicate adult mosquitoes, and placing mosquito trapping devices at appropriate locations;
- promotion and education: organising exhibitions with relevant departments and stakeholders, and distributing leaflets and posters to enhance public awareness of mosquito control and prevention; and
- rapid alert mechanism: notifying residential estates that have subscribed to the gravidtrap Rapid Alert System, and advising property management companies and residents to stay vigilant and work together in taking mosquito prevention and elimination measures.
During the follow-up actions and following the discovery of stagnant water at a construction site and a private housing estate in Central and Western District and Yuen Long District, the FEHD has issued a total of two statutory notices to the responsible persons-in-charge, requiring the clearance of such stagnant water within a specified timeframe.
Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including:
- tidy up their premises and check for any accumulation of water inside the premises;
- remove all unnecessary water collections and eliminate the sources;
- check household items (those placed in outdoor and open areas in particular), such as refuse containers, vases, air conditioner drip trays, and laundry racks to prevent stagnant water;
- change water in flower vases and scrub their inner surfaces thoroughly, and remove water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week;
- properly cover all containers that hold water to prevent mosquitoes from accessing the water;
- properly dispose of articles that can contain water, such as disposable meal boxes and empty cans; and
- scrub drains and surface sewers with alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.
Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reduing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.
Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The Gravidtrap and Density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department's webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#).
FEHD releases fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in August Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in August Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in August Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in August Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
