Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin attended the Education World Forum 2025 in London on May 19 where she highlighted Hong Kong’s experience in achieving quality and equity in education.

Under the five key themes this year, namely Stability, Equity, Quality, Innovation and Growth, Ms Choi shared Hong Kong's practical experience with education ministers and senior officials from various countries and regions.

This year, the forum focused on the development of inclusive education systems that drive equitable and sustainable socio-economic growth. In her keynote speech titled “How & why should education systems improve equity & increase quality?”, Ms Choi introduced Hong Kong's policy measures and achievements in providing quality and equitable education.

She said that, in achieving quality education, Hong Kong has been participating in various international assessments to understand more about the capabilities of Hong Kong students and the key factors that shape their learning effectiveness.

Hong Kong students' overall performance in both the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics & Science Study exceeding the international average is a testament to the brilliance of students, the teaching effectiveness of schools and teachers, and the strengths of Hong Kong's education system.

The Education Bureau attaches great importance to teachers' continuing professional development. To enhance teachers' professional competencies, the bureau has been providing diversified training programmes, organising teacher professional development programmes in collaboration with local, Mainland and overseas universities, and offering scholarships to encourage teachers to participate in overseas exchanges and training activities.

In terms of education equity, PISA results showed that the family background and socio-economic status of Hong Kong students had a relatively small impact on their performance, reflecting that Hong Kong's education system enables equal education opportunities.

To ensure that every student has access to quality education, the bureau has developed a broad and balanced 15-year school curriculum framework, and in addition to engaging students in a diverse range of life-wide learning activities, it offers various programmes to support e-learning.

The bureau has also been providing non-Chinese speaking students with all-encompassing learning support and implementing the Whole School Approach to Integrated Education.

Apart from delivering the keynote speech, Ms Choi met several UK education officials, including UK Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson, UK Minister of State (Minister for School Standards) at the Department for Education Catherine McKinnell and UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Children & Families) at the Department for Education Janet Daby, to discuss the strengthening of education collaboration between the two places.

Additionally, Ms Choi met education officials from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka attending the forum to explore room for education collaboration between Hong Kong and Belt & Road countries. She also met an official of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology to discuss the strengthening of education co-operation.

Ms Choi then visited Imperial College London to learn about its experience in the promotion of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) education in secondary and primary schools, as well as the preparation of the relevant teaching materials for schools.

Furthermore, Ms Choi paid a courtesy call on Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang to introduce the latest education developments in Hong Kong.

On May 20, the education chief will meet local education officials to discuss enhancing higher education collaboration between the UK and Hong Kong. She also plans to exchange views with representatives of several UK universities and share Hong Kong's latest developments in building into an international education hub.

Ms Choi will conclude her visit on the same day and return to Hong Kong.