Author Archives: hksar gov

       The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, this morning (September 4) visited Po Leung Kuk Ma Kam Ming College and Ma Tau Chung Government Primary School (Hung Hom Bay) to join their school opening ceremonies.
 
     Dr Choi first visited Po Leung Kuk Ma Kam Ming College. Addressing the school opening ceremony, she commended the school for proactively promoting positive education to enhance students’ psychological well-being, and introducing external professional support to provide opportunities for students to learn positive psychology concepts. Furthermore, the school organises diversified activities to nurture students’ character strengths.
 
     She also appreciated the school’s great effort in implementing national education, deepening students’ understanding of Chinese culture and national development and achievements with a view to cultivating in students a sense of national pride, cultural confidence, national identity, etc. Citing President Xi Jinping’s reply letter to Hong Kong secondary school students, she encouraged students to strengthen their affection for and sense of belonging to the country, and sharpen their skills and abilities so that they can shoulder great responsibilities and make contributions to building a better Hong Kong and advancing national rejuvenation.
 
     Dr Choi then attended the school opening ceremony of Ma Tau Chung Government Primary School (Hung Hom Bay). Speaking at the event, she highlighted that the school opening ceremony has marked a new beginning for students to set their goals for a new path. She encouraged students to cherish time and aim high with good planning, as well as strive for excellence and embrace challenges.
 
      In addition, she listened to teachers and students sharing their campus life experiences and an introduction of the newly opened reading corner for promoting Chinese culture at the school. Dr Choi took the opportunity to encourage students to read more books on Chinese history, classics and ancient biographies to enrich their knowledge and enhance their integrity. She looked forward to students’ enthusiastic participation in study tours and exchanges to appreciate different cultures and broaden their horizons.
 
    Dr Choi thanked the teaching teams of both schools for their dedication to creating a healthy, happy and caring learning environment, and their commitment to fostering students’ whole-person development.

            

     The Security Bureau (SB) will lead its disciplined services and auxiliary services, together with youth uniformed groups, to hold the Parade by Disciplined Services and Youth Groups cum Carnival for Celebrating the 74th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China at the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy in Tseung Kwan O on October 1 (Sunday). To share the joy of celebrating the National Day, members of the public can register for free admission tickets from next Monday to Wednesday (September 11 to 13) on the Hong Kong Fire Services Department mobile application.

     The carnival will be held from 10am to 5pm and the event highlight will be a parade by disciplined services and youth uniformed groups to be held at 2.30pm. A flag-raising ceremony and a parade will be performed by members of the disciplined services from the Hong Kong Police Force, the Immigration Department, the Customs and Excise Department, the Correctional Services Department, the Fire Services Department (FSD), the Government Flying Service, as well as youth group members of various disciplined services departments, the Auxiliary Medical Service Cadet Corps and the Civil Aid Service Cadet Corps, the Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps and the Hong Kong Army Cadets Association. There will also be an appliance parade by various disciplined services and auxiliary services, as well as a joint works and rescue departmental drill.
      
     Other activities of the carnival will include exhibition and game booths to be hosted by the SB and eight disciplined services and auxiliary services to showcase national security and the close ties between the services and the Mainland. Members of the public can vote for the most outstanding booth that day. The carnival will also feature demonstrations by disciplined services’ working dogs as well as rescue demonstrations by the FSD including firefighting and rescue, ambulance training, swift water rescue, high-angle rescue training, compartment fire behaviour training, hazardous material incident training and traffic accident rescue.
      
     Members of the public can apply for a maximum of four QR code admission tickets from September 11 to 13 on the latest version of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department mobile application, which can be downloaded from Apple App Store, Google Play and Huawei AppGallery for free. Children aged 3 or below do not require an admission ticket. The tickets will be allocated by a computer ballot and successful applicants will receive a notification through the application on September 18.
      
     Visitors are advised to use public transportation as no parking will be provided at the Academy. The event will be cancelled if Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above is still in force at 8am on the event day. Visitors should visit the FSD’s website (www.hkfsd.gov.hk) regularly for the latest information. For programme and ticketing enquiries, please email publicticket@sb.gov.hk. read more

     Organised by the Music Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the 2023/24 School Care Subsidy Scheme is now inviting applications from schools. The deadline for applications is September 29.

     The scheme aims to encourage student music groups from kindergartens and primary, secondary and special schools as well as tertiary institutions to care for the community, and extend their good wishes to the elderly, hospital patients, special school students and the beneficiaries of registered social welfare organisations through free music performances, thereby enhancing social integration and harmony. Through the activities, students can not only gain experience from performances and serving the community, but also develop stronger team spirit as well as better organisational skills.

     Each performance can receive a maximum subsidy of $2,000 to cover costs including transportation, allowances for professionals and other miscellaneous items.

     Successful applicants must complete their performances on or before March 31 next year. Outstanding teams will be invited to perform and share their experiences at the Gala Concert to be held in April or May next year. All participating teams will be awarded certificates of commendation during the concert.

     Applications will be evaluated according to the feasibility, ingenuity and interactive elements of the proposed programmes, as well as the music groups’ experience in organising and performing at community events. Interested schools can download application forms from the Music Office’s website (www.lcsd.gov.hk/musicoffice). Completed forms must be emailed to the Music Office (cnc@lcsd.gov.hk).

     Nearly 400 school music groups have participated in the School Care Subsidy Scheme since its launch in 2009. The scheme is sponsored by the Sino Group. For enquiries, please call 2598 8335 or 3842 7775. read more

     Traffic conditions were mostly smooth and public transport services were generally adequate to meet demand this morning on the first school day today (September 4), the Transport Department (TD) said.

     The TD’s Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre (ETCC) has been closely monitoring the traffic situation and public transport services since 6.30am today. Staff were deployed to monitor the traffic and transport situation on-site at various major public transport interchanges and school areas to provide latest information to the ETCC for arranging public transport service enhancements or informing the Police regarding traffic direction when necessary.

     As in previous years, the overall road traffic, including the traffic at major trunk roads and cross-harbour tunnels and the traffic in school areas, was busier than usual on the first school day. However, the traffic at major trunk roads and cross-harbour tunnels was generally smooth. For public transport services, MTR and bus services continued as normal.

     “Students are reminded to familiarise themselves with the public transport routes to be taken to school as early as possible to determine the most suitable travel patterns,” a TD spokesman said.

     The TD will continue to closely monitor the traffic situation and public transport services, and maintain close liaison with major public transport operators and relevant government departments.

     The spokesman reminded students to allow adequate time for travel and pay attention to road safety. Those who need to take ferries are advised to check in advance the ferry schedules, the vessel types to be used and the journey times on their intended ferry trips. Meanwhile, in view of possible congestion in school areas, motorists should avoid driving to these areas.

     Drivers of nanny vans and school buses are also reminded to drive carefully, especially on steep roads, in narrow lanes or at locations where driving in reverse is necessary. Speeding and overloading are prohibited and they are not allowed to leave students unattended in the vehicles. An escort should be provided on board when serving kindergarten or primary school students. Drivers and escorts should ensure that all students are properly wearing their seat belts (if provided) before the vehicles move off.

     The road traffic, especially that on major trunk roads and in cross-harbour tunnels, is likely to become busier. Passenger demand for public transport services will also increase. Members of the public are advised to allow more time for their trips during the morning peak hours.

     Members of the public can obtain the latest traffic and transport arrangements from radio, television or the TD’s mobile application “HKeMobility” before leaving home.

     For enquiries on bus, ferry or railway services, please call the following hotlines or visit the websites of the major public transport operators:
 

     A man who went missing in Castle Peak was located.      Chu Tan-pin, aged 78, went missing after he was last seen at Tsing Ho Square on August 30 night. His family made a report to Police on the… read more