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the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Instrumental Solo under 19 years of age competition.
In the visual arts, the top award, 'Grand Prix 2011', went to Hong Kong participants at the 30th Small Montmartre of Bitola, with three students being crowned among the world's top 10 young artists. In the 39th International Children's Exhibition of Fine Arts Lidice, Hong Kong students won five medals out of a total of 212 medals. One student won a grand prize in the 'International Students' Visual Arts Contest-cum-Exhibition of Hong Kong Photography 2011: Capturing Eternity' event.
Hong Kong young athletes excelled in various international sports competitions. They won five gold, five silver and six bronze medals in the All China Secondary School Games and the Interport Sports Competitions. In table tennis, they amassed a total of 22 gold, 13 silver and 20 bronze medals in various junior and cadet open competitions, and three bronze medals in Asian Junior Championships. In squash, they garnered six gold, six silver and seven bronze medals in various international competitions for junior squash players.
At the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships, they won seven gold, five silver and seven bronze medals. At the 6th Asian Junior Wushu Championships, they obtained four gold, five silver and one bronze medals. In cycling, they won one gold, four silver and four bronze medals at the 18th Asian Junior Cycling Championships and a gold medal in the 7th China City Games.
In media art and technology, Hong Kong students were first runners-up at the VAFI 2nd International Children and Youth Animation Film Festival; an Artistic Experiment Award at the 13th Seoul International Youth Film Festival Award; and seven medals at the IT Challenge 2011.
Major Challenges Ahead
Opening up Multiple Study Pathways
Hong Kong's post-secondary education sector provides young people with high quality and diversified study pathways with multiple entry and exit points. Apart from the 350 degree programmes offered by 15 degree-awarding institutions, various local post-secondary institutions also run about 500 sub-degree programmes covering different academic and professional disciplines.
In addition, there is a wide range of programmes, including 'Project Yi Jin', which provides an alternative route to employment and continuing education for secondary school leavers, vocational education and training programmes, and those provided by post-secondary institutions to enable young people to choose the learning path that best suits their abilities and aspirations and to develop their potential to the full. These programmes provide students with more choices and opportunities and for many of them who have the aptitude for participating in the economic development of Hong Kong's six priority industries: Education Services, Cultural and Creative Industries, Environmental Industries, Innovation and Technology, Medical Services and Testing and Certification.