ENG-2016 — Page 173

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Education

Vocational and Professional Education and Training and Adult Education

Vocational Training Council

The VTC is a statutory body established to provide a comprehensive system of vocational and professional education and training (VPET) for school leavers and adult learners. It provided. some 250,000 full-time and part-time places during 2015-16.

Quality-assured, internationally recognised full-time and part-time courses are available from post-secondary 3 up to degree level, covering applied science, design, engineering, hospitality, child education and community services, business, information technology and other study areas. The courses are offered through the VTC's 13 member institutions, such as the Hong Kong Design Institute, Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education, Institute of Professional Education and Knowledge, International Culinary Institute, Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong and Youth College. The VTC also administers an apprenticeship scheme and provides trade testing and certification.

Since 2014-15, the VTC has implemented a Pilot Training and Support Scheme with the government's funding support to attract and retain talent for industries with a keen demand for labour, by integrating structured apprenticeships with clear career progression pathways. It is expected to benefit 4,000 students across four cohorts. Starting from the same academic year, the VTC has received recurrent funding to provide industrial attachment opportunities for about 9,000 students every year, mainly studying higher diploma programmes and certain Diploma of Vocational Education programmes.

Diploma Yi Jin Programme

The Diploma Yi Jin Programme provides an alternative channel for Secondary 6 school leavers and adult learners to earn a formal qualification for employment and continuing education purposes. It is run by seven self-financing institutions and may be taken either full-time or part- time. The 2016-17 enrolment exceeded 4,000 students.

Evening Secondary Courses

In 2016-17, around 1,100 adult students enrolled in evening secondary courses at designated centres operated by Approved Course Providers under the Financial Assistance Scheme for Designated Evening Adult Education Courses.

Student Achievements

Hong Kong students excelled in international competitions in 2016. Hong Kong teams won a total of five gold, 10 silver and six bronze medals in the International Mathematical Olympiad, International Physics Olympiad, International Olympiad in Informatics and International Junior Science Olympiad.

Hong Kong students ranked second in reading and mathematical literacy, and ninth in scientific literacy in the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) conducted in 2015. PISA is an international survey coordinated by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, which measures the reading, mathematical and scientific literacy of 15-year-olds every three years. The 2015 survey assessed students in 72 economies.

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