Tag Archives: China

     A spokesperson for the Education Bureau (EDB) today (November 5) said that the EDB had received the 2026 Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) report submitted by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA). The data shows that the performance of the Primary Three and Secondary Three students who participated in the assessment this year remained stable in the three major subjects of Chinese Language, English Language, and Mathematics, similar to the findings of the previous assessments.

     The spokesperson said, “The TSA report assists schools in understanding students’ strengths and areas for improvement in Chinese Language, English Language and Mathematics upon completion of the key stages of learning. The EDB is pleased to note that the TSA continues to be implemented smoothly under ongoing enhancement arrangements. The school sector has widely made use of the data from the assessment report, together with schools’ internal assessment results, to optimise curriculum plans and learning and teaching strategies, thereby further enhancing students’ learning effectiveness and serving the purpose of ‘Assessment for Learning’ of the TSA. The EDB expresses its gratitude to the school sector for continuously adopting diversified teaching strategies and measures to cater for the different needs of students, and raise teaching effectiveness.

     “The EDB will continue to work closely with all stakeholders and review the operation and effectiveness of the TSA in a timely manner, with a view to enhancing its function of ‘Assessment for Learning’. At the same time, the EDB will render full support to schools, including arranging teacher training, organising diverse activities and providing appropriate school-based support services, to strengthen teachers’ professional capacities. Meanwhile, the EDB will continue to develop learning and teaching resources, such as continuously enhancing the Student Assessment Repository as a one-stop platform for learning, teaching and assessment, and exploring the application of AI in the repository to provide schools and students with a more flexible and diversified platform with instant feedback, catering for the different needs of students and enhancing their learning interests and abilities. Currently, the ‘Student Self-selected Assessments’ feature has been activated on the platform to encourage students to engage in self-learning outside classroom according to their individual needs.”

     In addition, in line with the EDB’s strategy of promoting digital education, the HKEAA is taking forward the phased transition of the TSA to electronic assessment (e-TSA), with a view to achieving full transition by 2031. The HKEAA will announce the relevant arrangements in due course according to the progress of the implementation plan.

     The HKEAA will later directly provide primary and secondary schools with school-level data for use as feedback on learning and teaching. With a view to promoting and supporting schools in making effective use of assessment data and information to enhance learning and teaching, the EDB will hold thematic seminars on “Promoting Assessment for Learning” in December with regard to the 2026 TSA report. Teachers may enrol via the EDB training calendar.

     Student performance figures of the TSA from 2024 to 2026 are shown in the Annex. Details of the TSA are available on the HKEAA’s website (www.bca.hkeaa.edu.hk). read more

     One of the highly sought-after musicians of his generation, Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki is set to return to Hong Kong on December 6 (Sunday) to deliver a solo recital as the finale of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)’s “Great Music 2026”. The performance features a selection of dance-inspired masterpieces by 10 great composers, sweeping across continental Europe and Latin America, offering a unique interpretation of various dance music through his virtuoso artistry of the keyboard.

     In the first half of the recital, Lisiecki will perform works by master composers, including Martinů’s “Trois Danses Tchèques”, Falla’s “Danza Española No. 2 & No. 1”, Szymanowski’s “Four Polish Dances”, Schubert’s “16 German Dances”, Bartók’s “Romanian Folk Dances”, and Ginastera’s “Danzas Argentinas”, tracing the diverse facets of dance music across different traditions and geographies. 

     After the interval, the programme will open with an interwoven selection of classic waltzes, featuring Chopin’s “Grande Valse Brillante” and two pieces from Brahms’s “16 Waltzes”. Lisiecki will then perform two contrasting interpretations of the tango through Piazzolla’s “Libertango” and Albéniz’s “Tango”. Falla’s “Ritual Fire Dance” will be presented before bringing the recital to a triumphant close with Chopin’s “Heroic Polonaise”. 

     Lisiecki has been praised by The New York Times for his “pristine, lyrical and intelligent” performances. He became the youngest-ever recipient of Gramophone magazine’s Young Artist of the Year award at age 18, alongside receiving the Leonard Bernstein Award. He has graced the world’s greatest stages and worked closely with the foremost conductors and orchestras of the time, performing over 100 concerts each year. 

     The recital will be staged at 8pm on December 6 at the Concert Hall of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $250, $350, $450 and $550 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1949.html.

     A pre-concert talk entitled “From Polonaise to Libertango: Rhythm Across Cultures” (in Cantonese) will be held at 6.45pm on December 6 at the Committee Room North, 7/F, High Block, Hong Kong City Hall. The speaker will be composer Daniel Lo. Admission is free, with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.

     The “Great Music 2026”, presented by the LCSD, brings a world-renowned orchestra and musicians to Hong Kong from June to December, offering music lovers a stellar line-up of performances. For more details, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/groups_1946.html.

  

     ​An owner was fined $70,000 yesterday (November 4) upon conviction at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on October 21 for failing to comply with a removal order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).  

     The case involved an unauthorised structure of about 132 square metres on and over the flat roof and light well of a composite building on Heung Wo Street, Tsuen Wan. As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO. Failing to comply with the removal order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD.

     A spokesman for the BD said today (November 5), “UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take stringent enforcement action against owners who fail to comply with removal orders, including instigation of prosecution, to ensure building and public safety.”

     Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year’s imprisonment, and a further fine of up to $20,000 for each day that the offence continues. read more

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:      Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced toda… read more

     Hong Kong Customs today (November 4) detected a drug trafficking case involving a passenger at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about one kilogram of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $600,000. A man was arrested. 

     A 36-year-old local male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cocaine in the shoes worn by him. He was subsequently arrested.
      
     An investigation of the case is ongoing. 

     Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong.

     Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account  (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).