Latest news with #ChristineChoi
South China Morning Post
08-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Quality counts as Hong Kong seeks to lure more international students
With no fewer than five universities ranked among the world's top 100, the city is definitely well positioned to nurture the ' Study in Hong Kong ' brand. Hong Kong's proximity to mainland China and long-established overseas links have further reinforced its status as an international education hub. The priority is to cast the net wider to attract the best and brightest from the mainland and overseas to work and study here. Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin revealed that applications from non-local students had increased significantly this year, with the numbers almost doubling in some institutions. The city also tapped the opportunities arising from the United States' recent policy changes for international students; four local institutions made at least 36 offers to those affected. This outcome is encouraging. There is room to do more. There were 17,161 non-local students at public universities in 2024-25. This accounts for about 23 per cent of local student places, still short of the 40 per cent allowed. Noting that the quota is still not fully utilised and that some institutions are not yet ready for increasing their intake in terms of staffing and facilities, Choi said she believed that public universities could enrol more quality overseas students to ensure greater diversity on campuses in future. She said the universities had become more mindful of the number of overseas students compared with those from the mainland, Taiwan and Macau, in response to concerns that mainlanders accounted for more than 70 per cent of the non-local intake. But she stressed that picking the best was still the priority and that this would not be sacrificed to ensure greater diversity. Being an international education hub means the city should aim to attract the top students from different countries. Local universities should come up with more quality and up-to-date programmes, such as tech-related majors, to attract talent from around the world.
RTHK
04-07-2025
- Politics
- RTHK
Teachers get their dues for outstanding performances
Teachers get their dues for outstanding performances Some teachers with their awards for teaching excellence. Photo: RTHK The government honoured outstanding educators on Friday during its annual teaching awards presentation ceremony, commending exemplary teaching practices that foster a culture of excellence within the profession. This year, the awards committee evaluated more than 200 nominations across five distinct categories, namely key learning area in Chinese language and mathematics education along with values education, and two new ones in awards for budding teachers and education innovation. Chief Executive John Lee presented the Chief Executive's Award for Teaching Excellence to 17 educators, while Secretary for Education Christine Choi awarded certificates of merit to 12 teachers. Among the recipients was Lam Fong-sang from King's College Old Boys' Association Primary School, who received the Award for Budding Teachers. Lam said he was deeply honoured to have received the award and spoke of his approach to innovative teaching. "In the classroom, I teach maths and use AI and blended in learning to create pre-lesson videos," he said. "This allows students to make the most of their time learning both before and after class. "This recognition affirms our efforts to promote the holistic development of students both inside and outside the classroom. "I believe that all students have their unique potential and talents, and as teachers, we should help them cultivate their strengths." Another award winner, Lo Sau-ling from Holy Cross Lutheran School, received the values education award for her role in a team that designed an integrated curriculum. The curriculum weaves together moral and national education and other value aspects across various subjects. "For instance, in a fourth-grade Chinese language class... the teacher may want to explain the term 'lying flat,' " she said. "During the discussion, the teacher posed an important question: if Chinese farmers adopted a 'lying flat' attitude and did nothing – didn't plant rice or grow other things – what do you think would happen to the country?" she said. "This leads to discussions about food security. "Students can discuss what would happen if farmers or workers adopted a 'lying flat' attitude and did nothing. This could also extend to issues of social security." Cheung Ping-kit from Hong Kong Taoist Association The Yuen Yuen Institute No 3 Secondary School won the Chinese language education key learning area award for his contributions to a team that developed a specialised Chinese language programme tailored to support non-Chinese speaking students. Addressing the ceremony, the chief executive said he hopes the awards would continue to unite more outstanding teachers, enhance their professional image and strengthen respect for teachers. Lee outlined three key expectations for award-winning educators: cultivate a strong sense of national identity and love for Hong Kong in students; serve as well-rounded role models; and embrace innovation and technology in developing new educational models.
HKFP
02-07-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
Nat. security guidelines not ‘targeted' at specific events, says education chief after school's US consular event warning
National security guidelines for Hong Kong schools do not target specific events, education minister Christine Choi said, following reports that school principals had been warned against joining US Independence Day celebrations. The US consulate in the city has slammed what it called 'repression' by local authorities In an interview with select media outlets, Choi addressed allegations that schools were warned not to take part in Independence Day activities hosted by Washington's diplomatic mission, saying that the authorities were only addressing 'doubts' from the schools. An unnamed school principal's remarks were quoted last month in a post by Edu Lancet, a social media page which describes itself as a platform for 'voicing concerns' about Hong Kong's education sector. The message cited a reminder from the Education Bureau reminding teachers to be 'careful' about the consulate's Independence Day celebrations. The principal advised against taking part in the celebrations 'to avoid violating the national security law and Hong Kong laws.' The message said: 'If you learn that there are students participating, please put the protection of students first and discourage them from doing so.' Earlier, the Education Bureau only said that 'schools have the responsibility to properly carry out their role as gatekeepers and enhance teachers' and students' sensitivity to national security.' A US Consulate spokesperson responded: 'We condemn the Hong Kong government's repression of U.S. Independence Day celebrations and interference in U.S. Consulate General-hosted events. Its attempts to characterize these activities as 'unlawful' only further reveals its insecurity and fear of freedom.' The spokesperson said that US embassies and consulates worldwide celebrate the occasion every year. 'Other foreign missions do the same. This year is no different,' the statement read. 'Self-evaluation checklist' Education chief Choi said that the authorities had 'never' issued notices targeting specific persons or events, but would regularly address schools' queries. Choi said that a self-evaluation checklist on national security affairs issued to schools was updated in April, with updated terms on procurement, manpower, and school outings, though it did not target specific organisations or individuals. According to an April announcement, the evaluation checklist sets out suggestions 'covering national security work planning, monitoring mechanisms, learning and teaching and related resources, school activities, personnel management and training, and home-school co-operation.' She also questioned whether the incident amounted to a 'diplomatic crisis,' as described by The Chaser, without naming the diaspora media outlet. 'I don't see how this could become a crisis. For this to become a political crisis because an online media outlet said so, wouldn't that be an exaggeration?' she said. In an earlier interview with Beijing-backed newspaper Wen Wei Po, Choi said that the EDB had issued 'clear guidelines' to schools, including ordering them to conduct background checks on external organisations to ensure there were no 'anti-China disruptors' and to review their own off-campus activities and books to prevent the proliferation of 'illegal and harmful information'.
South China Morning Post
02-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong education chief puts onus on schools amid competition for students
Hong Kong's education minister has said that schools struggling with insufficient student enrolment must evaluate their own performance in meeting parents' expectations rather than relying on government intervention. Advertisement Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin also said the education sector should not insist on keeping the existing number of schools and emphasised a need for 'metabolism' to ensure its vitality. In an interview with local media last Friday, she said that the recent policy allowing schools that managed to operate four Form One classes to apply to run one more in the coming academic year was to 'address parents' needs and choice'. Choi urged those schools with insufficient enrolment to reflect on their own performance, instead of simply hindering the development of more popular institutions. 'Schools finding it difficult to admit students throughout many years could not address parents' and students' needs. Why do they define themselves as weak schools and only ask authorities to take care of them? It should not be like this,' she said. Advertisement 'Have they thought about the needs of the parents in their districts? What are the students' needs and what could they provide for them and get their votes for the schools?'
RTHK
02-07-2025
- Business
- RTHK
'HK universities are attractive to foreign students'
'HK universities are attractive to foreign students' Christine Choi says the strength of Hong Kong's higher education sector is reflected by the latest QS World University Rankings. Photo: RTHK University applications from non-local students have been flooding in, the education chief says, as Hong Kong seeks to attract international students whose study plans may have been affected by Washington's shifting policies towards their own tertiary institutions. Secretary for Education Christine Choi also pledged both funding and policy support for the tertiary sector so that the SAR can develop into an international hub for post-secondary education. In an interview marking the third anniversary of Chief Executive John Lee's administration, Choi said local universities have already made offers to dozens of students having second thoughts about studying in the United States. "The institutions have responded quickly to the government's call to assist these students. They provided different convenience measures based on their own situation, including a dedicated email address for interested students wishing to make enquiries," she said. As of late last month, eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee received 850 enquiries. Those, Choi revealed, translated into "hundreds" of applications, while some schools even reported a near two-fold jump in the number of applicants. Around 40 offers have since been made altogether. According to the latest QS World University Rankings, five SAR institutions made it to the top 100, led by the University of Hong Kong at 11th, up six places from the previous year. "The results are very encouraging. Nearly all of our universities have recorded a major improvement, including our first University of Applied Sciences," she said, referring to the self-financing Hong Kong Metropolitan University which made its debut in the rankings in the 781–790 range. "This demonstrates the strength of Hong Kong's higher education sector. We have what it takes to attract world-class scholars." Choi also brushed off suggestions that the government is scaling back support to the institutions, after the UGC-funded universities were asked to return HK$4 billion in grants to the government. "Our support to universities goes beyond funding. For example, if you look at our policies and resources, it seems rather unfair to focus only on the return of that HK$4 billion," she argued. "We've relaxed the quota for postgraduate students, and for that purpose we allocated additional resources to the universities, and boosted our scholarship programmes. All these measures benefited the institutions. We also have the new round of Research Matching Grant Scheme coming up." Choi emphasised the government's determination to lure in more overseas students, citing a new Development Bureau initiative to encourage private developers to convert hotels and commercial buildings into student dormitories.
