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QEF accords priority to information technology and education research in its new call
The following is issued on behalf of the Quality Education Fund Steering Committee:
The eighth call for the Quality Education Fund (QEF) applications will provide special matching grants for schools to enhance their information technology (IT) infrastructure. It will also give priority to education research on assessment for learning.
The eighth call for QEF applications will commence on 1 November and close on 31 December 2004. "IT in Education", "Research on Assessment for Learning", "Learning and Teaching Effectiveness" and "Promoting Collaboration in the Education Sector" are designated as priority themes.
Mr Tai Hay-lap, Chairman of the Quality Education Fund Steering Committee said, "The objective of sponsoring schools to upgrade or replace their out-dated or unserviceable computer equipment is to help sustain the application of IT in education, in line with the new IT in education strategy launched by the Government in July 2004."
"To ensure all schools have an initial funding to start their plan, we allow the IT provision from the Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) to constitute the base of the schools' contribution for applying the QEF matching grant. Schools are also encouraged to raise funds so as to obtain a higher matching grant from the QEF if a larger budget is required for the enhancement work. The maximum grants to be provided by the QEF are $300,000, $150,000 and $120,000 respectively for secondary schools, primary schools and special schools." he said.
"To encourage and support innovative projects remains the primary objective of the QEF. Therefore schools can submit applications for other QEF projects on top of the application for enhancement of IT infrastructure in the eighth call," Mr Tai added.
To encourage more education research to sustain the continuous emergence of new initiatives on teaching pedagogy and curriculum development, the QEF will collaborate with the Research Grants Council for the first time in assessing research applications from tertiary institutions.
The theme "Promoting Collaboration in the Education Sector" aims to leverage innovations and resources from the private sector and other organizations to achieve a wider and more forceful dissemination result of good education practices including those distilled from past QEF deliverables.
Established in 1998, the QEF is open to all including schools, tertiary institutions, individuals, public bodies and non-government organizations for application. Projects will be awarded a maximum of $0.5 million each, while those with exceptional merits, a maximum of $5 million each. So far, the QEF has disbursed $3,038 million in support of 5,250 projects.
Starting from 1 November, applications to the QEF can be submitted electronically through the QEF Website (http://www.info.gov.hk/qef/). Enquiries on QEF application can be directed to the hotline 2921 8833.
End/Monday, 1 November 2004