ENG-2009 — Page 205

Education | 149

The EDB has continued to organise the Chief Executive's Award for Teaching Excellence (CEATE) to give recognition to accomplished teachers and foster a culture of excellence in the teaching profession. A total of 41 teachers received awards in CEATE 2009.

Teachers' Professional Development

The Advisory Committee on Teacher Education and Qualifications issued the 'Third Report on Teachers' Continuing Professional Development (CPD)' which recommended continuation of a 'soft' approach to implementing teachers' CPD.

Principals' Professional Development

Serving principals continued to engage in professional development to enhance school leadership. Since 2004-05, about 770 aspiring principals have attained the Certification for Principalship and half have become principals.

Hong Kong Teachers' Centre

The Hong Kong Teachers'

Kong Teachers' Centre endeavours to promote continuous professional development for teachers through organising conferences, seminars, workshops and experience-sharing sessions. Physical and mental health activities are also arranged to help teachers maintain a work-life balance.

Council on Professional Conduct in Education

The Council on Professional Conduct in Education is a non-statutory body which advises the Government on ways to promote professional conduct in education and on cases of alleged professional misconduct involving educators.

Student Finance

To ensure that no student is deprived of education due to lack of means, the Student Financial Assistance Agency (SFAA) provides means-tested and non-means- tested financial assistance to students at various study levels. The SFAA also administers a number of privately-funded scholarship schemes.

Financial Assistance for Pre-primary Education

Eligible children at pre-primary level may apply for non-means-tested fee subsidy under the Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme, and means-tested fee remission under the Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme. In the 2008- 09 school year, fee subsidies and remissions totalling $1.2 billion and $309.7 million were granted to 112 939 and 39 392 students respectively.

Financial Assistance for Primary and Secondary Education

At the primary and secondary school levels, means-tested assistance covers textbook grants and travel subsidies. In the 2008-09 school year, $470.6 million was disbursed to 294 037 students for purchasing textbooks, $244.6 million to 197 829 students as travel subsidies. In addition, examination fees totalling $15.2 million were waived for 11 355 students taking public examinations.