Hong Kong public spending watchdog takes aim at academy for gifted students
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Hong Kong's public spending watchdog, the Audit Commission, has urged the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) to address the lack of school nominations for membership and improve the completion rate of courses. The commission found that between the 2018-19 and 2022-23 school years, there was a 'lack of enthusiasm' among schools for applying for membership. On average, 51% of about 1,000 primary and secondary schools did not nominate students for membership. The commission recommended that the academy collaborate with the Education Bureau to address the issue and promote channels for identifying gifted students other than school nomination. The academy, founded in 2008, is a non-profit organisation subsidised by the bureau and provides free programmes and services to students aged 10 to 18. It received government subsidies of HK$50.6 million in the 2022-23 school year and had around 8,000 members as of the end of 2023. The academy will continue its publicity initiatives and explore more channels to recruit gifted students. The commission also found that the completion rates of some programmes for gifted students were low and recommended that the academy set targets and adopt measures to boost them.
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