The Education Bureau (EDB) announced today (June 3) that the Mainland University Study Subsidy Scheme (MUSSS) 2019/20 will, from today until September 2, be open for applications from eligible Hong Kong students pursuing undergraduate studies in 181 designated Mainland institutions.
      
     Eligible students may apply for means-tested subsidy or non-means-tested subsidy under the MUSSS, while the former is for students who have passed a means test only. The subsidy under MUSSS is granted on a yearly basis. The subsidised period would be the normal duration of the undergraduate programmes pursued by the student concerned in the designated Mainland institution. Eligible applicants could only receive either means-tested subsidy or non-means-tested subsidy in an academic year.
      
     For the 2019/20 academic year, the amount of full-rate subsidy and half-rate subsidy under means-tested subsidy are HK$16,800 and HK$8,400 respectively. The amount of non-means-tested subsidy is HK$5,600. There are 181 designated Mainland institutions, including 112 institutions participating in the 2019/20 Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions and 69 others. The MUSSS is not subject to any quota.
      
     "It is envisaged that the MUSSS will benefit the bulk of Hong Kong students pursuing undergraduate studies in the Mainland with different financial needs. Hong Kong students who receive and have completed senior secondary education in Hong Kong, including those studying local and non-local curricula as well as non-Chinese speaking students, and meeting other criteria, will be eligible for the MUSSS," said a spokesman for the EDB.
      
     Details of the MUSSS and the application form are available at the EDB website (www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/postsecondary/policy-doc/musss/2019.html). Eligible students should submit the completed application forms to the EDB by post, on or before August 2 (for students who entered the designated Mainland institutions before the 2019/20 academic year) or September 2 (for students who will first enter the designated Mainland institutions in the 2019/20 academic year). The EDB will notify individual applicants of the application result by the first quarter of 2020.

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Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 3) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Lo So Shing Beach in Islands District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     To support the employment of persons with disabilities, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) launched the Support Programme for Employees with Disabilities (SPED) in June 2013 to provide employers of persons with disabilities with a one-off subsidy for each employee with disabilities for procurement of assistive devices and/or workplace modifications. The programme seeks to facilitate employees with disabilities in discharging their duties in the workplace and enhance their work efficiency. The SPED is open for application all year round with effect from February 11, 2019.
      
     The subsidy is capped at a maximum support level of $20,000 for each employee with disabilities. Starting from 2014-15, a grant of up to $40,000 may be considered for deserving cases for which the price of a single item of assistive device and its essential accessories exceeds $20,000.
      
     A wide range of assistive devices and workplace modifications which cater to the special needs of employees with disabilities at the workplace will be considered. Examples include computer accessories or adaptive equipment, optical magnifying devices, hearing and assistive devices, Braille products and handrails.
      
     The Po Leung Kuk has been commissioned to serve as the SPED Administrator. It assists in administering and promoting SPED, provides advisory services and follows up on the progress of the subsidised programmes, prepares assessments on the applications and make recommendations to the Committee on the SPED set up by the SWD for consideration.
      
     Employers may apply for a subsidy under the SPED through nomination of the following referring organisations:
 

1. non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating SWD-subvented vocational rehabilitation services;
2. NGOs running training courses for persons with disabilities or persons recovering from work injuries with the funding support of the Employees Retraining Board;
3. the Selective Placement Division of the Labour Department;
4. the Vocational Training Council; or
5. the SPED Administrator (Po Leung Kuk).

             
     Employers may submit their completed application forms together with the required documents by mail or by hand to the SWD through the referring organisations. No application fee is required and each applicant may submit more than one application.

     For enquiries, please contact Po Leung Kuk SPED Office by phone at 3980 9677, by email at sped@poleungkuk.org.hk or by fax at 3980 9633.

     For more details, the information note and SPED application form, people may visit and download from the SWD homepage www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_rehab/sub_listofserv/id_vocational/id_sped.

     Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-raising ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 8am today (June 3) will be cancelled.

     The 7th Hong Kong Games (HKG) Closing cum Prize Presentation Ceremony was held at Kowloon Park Sports Centre this afternoon (June 2) after completion of all contests of the Games.
      
     The HKG is a territory-wide major multi-sports event held biennially with the 18 District Councils as the participating units. Held between April 28 and June 2, the inter-district sports competitions of the 7th HKG covered eight sports, namely athletics, badminton, basketball, futsal, swimming, table tennis, tennis and volleyball.
      
     Speaking at the ceremony, the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, said competitions of the eight sports events were held smoothly in the past four weeks, with more than 3 300 athletes striving for excellence to win honour for the districts they live in. He said that the athletes, who demonstrated unyielding sportsmanship, deserved applause and support, and thanked different sectors of the community for their support. Mr Lau expressed the hope that District Councils and community organisations would sustain the spirit of "Our City, Our Games" to promote Hong Kong as a healthy and vibrant city.
      
     Other officiating guests at the ceremony included Legislative Council Member Mr Lau Kwok-fan; the President of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC), Mr Timothy Fok; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li; the Commissioner for Sports, Mr Yeung Tak-keung; the Chairman of the 7th HKG Organising Committee, Mr David Yip; and the Executive Adviser of the 7th HKG Organising Committee, Mr William Tong.
      
     The Games' winning athletes and teams were awarded for their achievements at the ceremony. The 7th HKG overall championship went to Yuen Long District, which achieved the highest total score across the eight sports competitions. The overall first runner-up was Sha Tin District and North District was the overall second runner-up.
      
     The champions in the eight sports competitions were Sha Tin District (athletics and basketball), Yuen Long District (badminton, futsal, tennis and volleyball), Kowloon City District (swimming) and Central and Western District (table tennis).
      
     Prizes to encourage district participation were also presented at the ceremony. For the Cheering Team Competition, Yuen Long District was the champion of the Best Performance Award, with Islands District and Tuen Mun District as the first and second runners-up respectively. Yuen Long District also won first place for the Best Local Characteristics Award, while Wong Tai Sin District was the first runner-up, and Tuen Mun and Islands District came third. Kwai Tsing District won the Highest Popularity Award.
      
     Details of the prize-winning districts are listed in the attachment.
      
     A series of community participation programmes were also organised for members of the public to take part in the 7th HKG. They included elite athletes' demonstration and exchange programmes, a sports seminar, the Jockey Club Vitality Run, Sports Legacy – Exercise to Get Super Fit, the HKG 7-minute School Vitality Run, the 18 Districts' Pledging cum Cheering Team Competition, the Dynamic Moments Photo Contest, voting and guessing activities and an opening ceremony.
      
     Wan Chai District and Central and Western District won the public voting for "My Favourite Sporty District" through online votes and paper votes respectively. A lucky draw for winners of the voting and guessing activities was held before the ceremony. The winner list will be uploaded to the 7th HKG website (www.hongkonggames.hk) and published in Sing Tao Daily and the Standard on June 11.
      
     The submission deadline for the Dynamic Moments Photo Contest is June 12 and the results will be announced in mid-July.
      
     The 7th HKG was organised by the Sports Commission and co-ordinated by the Community Sports Committee, with the 18 District Councils, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the SF&OC and relevant National Sports Associations as co-organisers. The Hong Kong Jockey Club was the Principal Contributor.