ENG-2002 — Page 207

EDUCATION

funded or self-financing local award-bearing programmes as well as professional or continuing education courses provided in Hong Kong by registered schools, non-local universities and recognised training bodies. In addition, students pursuing accredited, self-financing post-secondary education programmes may also borrow for their living expenses. In the 2001-02 academic year, 16 947 persons obtained non-means tested loans amounting to $557.9 million.

Scholarships and Other Assistance Schemes

The Student Financial Assistance Agency administers many privately funded scholarships and assistance schemes for school students. Scholarships are mainly merit-based and are provided for both local studies and studies at overseas institutions.

Tuition Fee Reimbursement for Project Yi Jin (PYJ) Students

The Government provides a 30 per cent reimbursement of tuition fees to PYJ students who successfully complete a module. Starting from the 2002-03 school year, needy students who pass a means test will be eligible for reimbursement of 100 per cent of the tuition fees paid for each module completed satisfactorily.

Community's Participation in Education

Home-school Cooperation

Promotion of home-school cooperation is a vital element in quality education. With the continued efforts of the Committee on Home-School Cooperation set up in 1993 on the recommendation of the Education Commission, the number of Parent-Teacher Associations had increased to about 1 300 in June 2002. During the year, The Building of Learning Family Together Campaign' was launched to enhance the concept of the 'family as a learning unit'.

In June 2001, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved a commitment of $50 million to strengthen parent education and to encourage parents to participate in educational affairs. By September 2002, about 1 200 applications had been funded. Education programme materials for parents, featuring children's physical, psychological and intellectual development, have been developed and distributed. Training courses for parent education organisers commenced in October.

Professional Bodies' Involvement as Advisers to Schools

The Government supports business involvement in schools to enable students to have an early understanding of the business world. Deloitte & Touche Tohmatsu, one of the leading accounting firms in Hong Kong, initiated 'The Deloitte's School Mentoring Programme' in the 2001-02 school year. In 2002-03, 30 staff members from the firm act as mentors for 30 students from three secondary schools and discuss the students' concerns regularly. 'Adopt-A-School' is another programme organised in 2002-03 by the Young Entrepreneurs Development Council, a non-profit and impartial organisation. Three 'ambassadors' from each of the 20 participating companies work with their partner school in tailoring career talks, entrepreneur workshops and business case studies for students with the aim to introducing entrepreneurship to youngsters at the early stage of career planning and providing students an insight into the business world.

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