Press Release

(Hong Kong – 9 April 2016) The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (the “HKAGE”) held the Secondary Student and Parent Orientation 2016 at Pui Ching Primary School today to welcome its new secondary student members and their parents. More than 1,700 secondary students and parents were invited to the ceremony. The HKAGE received 2,982 nominations and admitted 2,877 secondary students as members, including 160 students who were self-nominated. The total number of students admitted reached a record high by a remarkable increase of 104% when compared with last year.

Mr Albert Hong, Associate Director (Academic Programme Development and Advanced Learning Experiences) of the HKAGE, welcomed the new members and their parents at the orientation. He expected that the Academy would provide unique and fruitful learning experiences for students, and encouraged them to participate actively in programmes and activities in different domains to broaden their learning scope. In addition, Mr Eric Fung, Research Manager of the HKAGE, shared with the attendees a study on the academic performance of gifted students. The research found a positive impact of student members’ participation in the HKAGE on their academic performance.

Moreover, several current secondary student members talked about their learning experiences at the Academy. Kwok Man Yi, a student member in Mathematics Domain, told the crowd about her memorable experience in the training for the International Mathematical Olympiad. She became more concentrated and persistent after the intensive training spanning most of the summer holiday, which also benefited her learning in school. She liked the mode of study at the HKAGE as it is similar to that of a university, offering great flexibility in course selection and learning progress. Not only did the study enhance her academic knowledge, but it also helped her develop self-discipline and self-learning ability, resulting in more efficient learning. Besides, Lau Woon Sing, a student in Humanities Domain, said he developed an interest in astronomy and acquired a lot of knowledge beyond school after joining the HKAGE. He described these learning experiences as a window to the world, through which he was able to identify his aspirations.

Lastly, some parents and new student members participated respectively in a parent seminar and various student concurrent sessions, rounding off the orientation.

The HKAGE provides challenging programmes for student members to obtain knowledge through approaches different from the regular classroom. The following selected programmes are suitable for secondary student members with diverse interests:

•    Future Curator Training 2016 (HUMS1011): The training aims to familiarise students with the functions of collection, preservation, exhibition and education of museums, and to enhance their knowledge about the scope of duties of museum curators through thematic talks, visits, a sharing session with curators and project-based learning;

•    Introductory Course in Climate Change: Green Pioneers (SCIS1331): It discusses various topics on responses to climate change and enhances students’ communication and collaboration skills through camping. Students will learn to be Museum of Climate Change guides and explain the impacts of climate change on Hong Kong to the public;

•    Delegation and Resources Allocation (LEAS2331): This programme explores attitudes, methods and techniques of delegation and resources allocation. Through various indoor and outdoor experiential challenges, students will generate new ideas in leadership concepts which emphasise team synergy and effective management skills;

•    Further Excursions in Geometry and Algebra with GeoGebra (MATS3210): It helps students construct and experiment with mathematical objects through GeoGebra for exploring geometric and algebraic ideas.

For details of the Secondary School Nomination and Self Nomination 2015/16, please refer to the appendices.

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Over 1,000 new student members attended the HKAGE orientation.
Mr Albert Hong, Associate Director (Academic Programme Development and Advanced Learning Experiences) of the HKAGE, delivered the opening speech.	Secondary student members of the HKAGE, Lau Woon Sing (2nd from the left) and Kwok Man Yi (2nd from the right) talked about their learning experiences at the Academy.

Appendix I: Key Facts about the HKAGE’s Secondary School Nomination 2015/16

1.    The numbers of schools participating in the nomination and students nominated and admitted

2.    Breakdown of newly admitted students by learning domains

3.    Gender ratio of newly admitted students

4.    Timeline for Secondary School Nomination 2015/16

Appendix II: Key Facts about the HKAGE’s Self Nomination for Secondary Students 2015/16

1.    The numbers of students nominated and admitted

2.    Breakdown of newly admitted students by learning domains

3.    Gender ratio of newly admitted students

4.    Timeline for Self Nomination for Secondary Students 2015/16