A team of six students representing Hong Kong won a total of three gold, two silver and one bronze medal in the 20th International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO 2023), marking Hong Kong’s best results since 2018, the Education Bureau today announced.
 

Jayden Kong from St. Paul’s Co-educational College, Lai Yat-long from Po Leung Kuk Centenary Li Shiu Chung Memorial College and Sung Tsz-ngo from Diocesan Boys’ School each won a gold medal.
 

The two silver medallists were Inna Belle Lee from St. Paul’s Co-educational College and Marcus Tsang from Ying Wa College, while Joycelyn Sun from Munsang College took a bronze medal. 
 

Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin congratulated the Hong Kong team on their excellent performance.
 

She said the impressive results demonstrated Hong Kong students’ exceptional talent in Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (STEAM), adding that the bureau will continue promote STEAM education in primary and secondary schools and equip students with the necessary skills for the new era.
 

“This includes the further promotion of the setting up of a school-based talent pool in schools, further enhancing the identification of students with potential in STEAM, making arrangements for these students to participate in systematic training and competitions of reasonable scale, so as to nurture more STEAM talent and strengthen our innovation and technology (I&T) capabilities.”
 

Ms Choi also stressed that the bureau has puts significant emphasis on the grooming of gifted students.
 

To this end, the bureau has made an additional injection of $600 million into the Gifted Education Fund this year to strengthen its collaboration with the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) in providing more diversified, high-quality and challenging out-of-school education services, particularly in STEAM-related areas.
 

“Enhanced efforts will be made to foster gifted students with potential in STEAM and to nurture future I&T talent for Hong Kong,” she emphasised. 
 

A total of 304 contestants from 54 countries or regions participated in the IJSO 2023, which was held in Thailand from December 1 to 10.
 

Open to students aged 15 or below, the competition covers physics, chemistry and biology up to the senior secondary level, and comprises written assessments and science experiments.