The establishment of the Quality Education Fund (hereafter “the Fund”) is to finance projects for the promotions of quality education in Hong Kong.

Under the Fourth Strategy on Information Technology in Education, the Education Bureau (EDB) has been promoting e-learning through the use of mobile computer device. The COVID-19 epidemic has accelerated the development of e-learning. When face-to-face classes have not yet fully resumed, primary and secondary schools have deployed diversified teaching and learning strategies flexibly (including e-learning) based on schools’ context and students’ needs at different learning stages in supporting students to learn at home, achieving “suspending classes without suspending learning”.

Looking forward, blended mode of learning, i.e. face-to-face classes together with learning at home with electronic or other modes of learning, may become the “new normal” in teaching and learning. In this connection, the Steering Committee of the Fund, in response to the recommendations of the Government, has set aside $2 billion to launch a three-year programme starting the 2021/22 school year. Public sector primary and secondary schools (including special schools) and Direct Subsidy Scheme schools could apply for funding to purchase mobile compute device for loan to needy students and to provide portable WiFi routers and mobile data cards to students who do not have access to appropriate Internet services due to the constraints in their living environment.

Eligible Beneficiaries

During  the  2021/22  school  year,  students  meeting  the  following  criteria  are  eligible  to benefit from the Funding Programme:

• those receiving  subsidies  under  the  Comprehensive  Social  Security  Assistance (CSSA) from the Social Welfare Department;
• those receiving  full  grant/half  grant  of  the  School  Textbook  Assistance  Scheme (STAS) from the Student Finance Office; or
• those with limited economic means identified by schools. Schools may establish their school-based criteria according to  their  school contexts and  students’  family  background  to  identify  students  who  are  with  limited  economic means,  but  are  not  receiving  CSSA  or The  maximum  number  of  students  in this  category  is  10%  of  the  number  of  student  beneficiaries  that meeting  the  criteria of  CSSA  and  STAS  in  that  school  year.  If  individual  schools  have  genuine  needs, they  may  apply  to  the  Information  Technology  in  Education  (ITE)  Section  of  the EDB  for  increasing  the  number  of  student  beneficiaries  in  this  category,  which  will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 2.studying in schools and classes implementing e-learning and adopting BYOD.

Please download and fill-in the Parent/ Guardian Consent for application, return it to Sheung Heung Road Campus General Office. (Deadline of application: 28^st January, 2022.)

For more information, please visit https://www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/applicable-to-primary-secondary/it-in-edu/ite-qef/qef_index.html

This ensures all students have equal opportunities in accessing e-learning so that schools could effectively implement blended mode of teaching and learning under the new normal to facilitate learning and teaching.