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Education

place various support measures to enhance NCS students' learning. These include a supplementary guide to the Chinese Language curriculum, adapted school learning materials in the form of textbooks, provision of internal assessment tools, school-based support and an annual grant to some schools for developing school-based support programmes specifically arranged for NCS students.

A pilot project is being carried out in collaboration with non-governmental organisations to encourage, motivate and support NCS students aged between three and nine to learn Chinese through interesting and interactive ways such as drama, singing and playing in groups.

Tertiary institutions have been commissioned to provide on-site support programmes, to operate the Chinese Language Learning Support Centres offering after-school support to NCS students and to train Chinese language teachers of schools with NCS students.

To address NCS students' aspirations for higher education, the UGC-funded institutions have provided greater flexibility for acceptance of alternative Chinese language qualifications, including the General Certificate of Secondary Education, International General Certificate of Secondary Education, General Certificate of Education (GCE) AS-Level and GCE A-Level under specified circumstances for application under the Joint University Programmes Admissions System. NCS students are subsidised for taking these Chinese Language examinations, and those with financial needs may receive half or full remission of the 'subsidised examination fee.

Support Programmes for Needy Students

Under the School-based After-school Learning and Support Programmes, 879 schools and 167 non-governmental organisations received subsidies in the 2012-13 school year for organising after-school activities to help some 217,000 needy students improve their learning effectiveness, broaden their learning experience outside the classroom and raise their understanding of the community and sense of belonging.

During the 2011-12 school year, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Life-wide Learning Fund, established in 2002 by the EDB and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, allocated about $67.15 million to 944 participating schools, providing financial aid to around 230,000 students in need from Primary 1 to Secondary 7 to participate in 'life-wide learning' through a range of learning experiences in authentic settings organised or recognised by schools.

Regulatory Framework and Governance

Government's Role and Organisation

The Secretary for Education, who heads the EDB, formulates, develops and reviews educational policies, secures funds from the government budget, and oversees the implementation of educational programmes with the assistance of the Permanent Secretary for Education.

Education Ordinance

School education services are regulated by the Education Ordinance. School operators must comply with its provisions and its subsidiary legislation relating to areas such as registration of

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