The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 3) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.
        
     Twenty-two beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 15 as Fair (Grade 2) and two as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:        

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

 
Grade 3 beaches are:

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Cafeteria New Beach, Cafeteria Old Beach, Middle Bay Beach and Stanley Main Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, and Casam Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2. 
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
      
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, an EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.
 
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's websites on Beach Water Quality (www.beachwq.gov.hk and www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

     The Education Bureau (EDB) announced today (August 3) that six new kindergarten premises are open for application by eligible applicant bodies under the First School Allocation Exercise (SAE) 2018. Details of the six estate kindergarten premises are set out in the Annex.
 
     "The six new estate kindergarten premises available for applications under this SAE, each with six to 11 classrooms, are located at new public housing estates in Kwun Tong, Sham Shui Po, Islands and Sha Tin districts and will be available by early 2019," an EDB spokesman said.
 
     "The EDB is entrusted by the Hong Kong Housing Authority to nominate operators for the kindergarten premises. The proposed allocation is on a competitive basis. Quality of education will be the prime consideration in assessing the applications submitted by applicant bodies. Factors to be considered include the quality of the proposed school plans in running the new kindergartens and the track records of the applicant bodies in operating schools (where applicable), particularly kindergartens."
 
     All applications will be considered by the School Allocation Committee comprising official and non-official members. Applicant bodies are required to complete an application form and submit it together with the required supporting documents, a proposed school plan (of not more than 10 pages including all annexes plus a two-page executive summary) and a list of operating schools (if any). The proposed school plan should cover the vision and mission, management and organisation, learning and teaching, support for children and school culture, children's development targets and self-evaluation indicators. The applicant body may also make reference to the school(s) that it is operating and the respective performance of the school(s) to substantiate its case.
 
     In line with the EDB's established policy for school allocation, when submitting the application, the applicant body should be exempted from tax under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance, and be:
 
(1) incorporated under the Companies Ordinance (the successful applicant body would be required to ensure that its articles of association contain all the standard clauses and articles required for allocation of a school premises); or
 
(2) incorporated under other ordinances, with its constitution satisfying the Permanent Secretary for Education as being fit to be considered for allocation of a school premises.
 
     The application form for the First SAE 2018 and other reference materials can be downloaded from the EDB homepage
(www.edb.gov.hk/en/sch-admin/sch-premises-info/allocation-of-sch/index.html). More information on this SAE can also be found on the homepage.
 
     The duly completed application form and supporting documents, together with 22 copies of the proposed school plan with the executive summary and the list of operating schools, if any, should reach the Infrastructure and Research Support Division of the EDB (6/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong) by 5pm on September 10, 2018. Late or incomplete applications, as well as applications via email, will not be processed.
 
     For enquiries, please call 3509 8413 or 3509 8411.

     A woman who went missing in Kwai Chung was located.

     To Yuk-ying, aged 65, went missing after she was last seen at Kwai Fong MTR Station on August 1 afternoon. Her family made a report to Police on the same day.  

     The woman was located on Hau Tei Square in Tsuen Wan in the small hours of today (August 3). She sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

     The Government Property Agency is inviting tenders for a three-year licence of the car park on a portion of the first floor of Sai Kung Government Offices, No. 34 Chan Man Street, Sai Kung, New Territories.

     The premises should be used for the purpose of a fee-paying public car park for the parking of private cars only.

     The tender notice was uploaded today (August 3) to the Agency's website: www.gpa.gov.hk. Tender documents are available for collection at the Government Property Agency, 31/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, during office hours (8.30am to 5.45pm from Mondays to Fridays). The documents can also be downloaded from the Agency's website.
      
     Interested tenderers who wish to inspect the site should make prior appointment with the Government Property Agency by calling 2594 7654 on or before August 15.

     Tenderers must submit their tenders by placing them in the Government Logistics Department Tender Box at the Ground Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, before noon on August 29 this year. Late tenders will not be accepted.

     Tsang Man-tung and five speakers will give lectures in the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's "On Sounds, Colours, Images and Forms – Multimedia Lecture Series" in September and October. Details are as follows:
 
September 21 (Friday)
Topic: "The Theatre as a Black Mirror"
Speaker: Adrian Yeung
Venue: Podium Workshop, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

     Adrian Yeung is a multimedia designer and theatre director, and is currently a senior lecturer in Media Design and Technology Department of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. His directorial efforts are mainly applied to creating theatre works that explore the topical issues of new technologies, and their application within the context of theatre production.
 
September 28 (Friday)
Topic: "Visible Sounds: Sound and Image"
Speaker: Dan Fong
Venue: Podium Workshop, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
 
     Dan Fong graduated from the City University of Hong Kong, where he trained at the School of Creative Media, and is currently a digital visual artist and visual designer. His work has been shown in the productions of Zuni Icosahedron, W Theatre, Hong Kong Dance Company and others. He has designed the video and visual effects for numerous pop concerts, having collaborated with pop singers including Paula Tsui, George Lam and Miriam Yeung.
 
October 5 (Friday)
Topic: "Finding Warmth in a Digital Age"
Speaker: Alex Cheung
Venue: AC 2, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
 
     Alex Cheung graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts majoring in directing, and holds a master's degree from the Fo Guang University Graduate Institute of Art Studies. He was a core member of Ring Creative, working mainly in drumming performances, theatre, physical movements, and design and teaching of courses on Eastern art. He founded Möbius Strip Theatre, of which he is also Co-Artistic Director.
 
October 12 (Friday)
Topic: "The Greatest Form Has No Shape"
Speaker: Oliver Shing
Venue: AC 2, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
 
     Oliver Shing graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he trained at the School of Journalism and Communication. He is currently a multimedia artist and a video director. He has established connections with creative people in various sectors, explored perspective projection and interactive media technology, and collaborated in video designs for theme parks, concerts and more.
 
October 19 (Friday)
Topic: "The Invisible Movements"
Speaker: Koala Yip
Venue: AC 2, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
 
     Koala Yip holds a bachelor degree from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and a master's degree from the California Institute of the Arts in the United States. She is currently a practising educator in multimedia performance and a visiting lecturer at the Beijing Dance Academy, the University of Hong Kong and the Maryland Institute College of Art in the United States.
 
     With 20 years of experience as a scenographer and over 200 design projects for the stage, Tsang Man-tung has a brilliant track record of awards. The notable ones include Best Set Design, Best Costume Design and Best Make-up and Image Design at the Hong Kong Drama Awards; the Award for Best Artist (Theatre) in the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2007-08; and winning Outstanding Set Design for Dance three times at the Hong Kong Dance Awards. In 2010, he visited Yale School of Drama as a special research fellow on an Asian Cultural Council fellowship in 2009. He was awarded under the Secretary for Home Affairs' Commendation Scheme in 2015 for his contribution to the development of arts and culture. In 2017, he won the Silver Prize and an Honorable Mention for Set Design at World Stage Design 2017 with the martial arts dance drama "Storm Clouds". 

     All lectures (to be conducted in Cantonese) will be held at 7.30pm. Tickets priced at $50 (for each lecture) are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7323 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/multi_arts/programs_605.html.