Vote of self-confidence: Iris Chong (left) and Apple Mak say the Yi Jin Project helped rebuild their interest in learning.

Project Yi Jin helps students rebuild their confidence in learning - and gives them another chance to further their studies after failing the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination.

Two young students who have just finished the project describe how it turned their lives around.

Launched in 2000, Project Yi Jin - which means "perseverance" and "progress" - provides an alternative route of continuing education for secondary-school leavers and adult learners. 

Those who successfully complete the project earn a qualification comparable to five subject passes in the HKCEE.

Iris Chong, a student who finished the programme, said: "Project Yi Jin helped me get back the long-lost aspiration to study and has broadened my way of thinking.

"Before joining the programme, I did not like to go to school. I took public examinations lightly and failed all the subjects.

"I felt upset. However, I did not want to repeat, so I started looking for other ways of further study," she said.

With the support of her family, Miss Chong applied for the Yi Jin Project organised by the Lingnan Institute of Further Education.

Different from traditional teaching methods, the project encourages interactive learning and allows students to choose three elective subjects that interest them.

"I like using cosmetics, so I took Beauty Class as one of my elective subjects," Miss Chong said.

She said the programme has changed her mindset towards study. For the first time, she finds that going to school is no more a torture but a pleasure.

"I hope to further my study on cosmetic preparations and would like to join the profession as my career," she added.

Apple Mak, another student of the project, took the HKCEE three times but failed to get a pass in the English language.

She applied for the Yi Jin Project organised by the Hong Kong Institute of Education last year. After one year's study, she came to realise that she has a strong interest in teaching kids.

"The interactive teaching methods adopted by the instructors helped arouse my interest in learning," Miss Mak said.

"I was shy and could not express myself clearly one year ago. Now I have every confidence to give a presentation in front of a group of people.

"Instructors are my mentors, not teachers. We have established close contact during the course of learning," she said.

"They give me advice as well as encouragement."

Her efforts have begun to yield results. She has overcome her weakness and scored an "A" grade in the final English-language examination.

"I am really grateful for the hard job of the instructors. I have decided to continue my study in kids' education after completing the one-year-long Yi Jin Project," she said.

Lingnan Institute of Further Education's David Yuen said Yi Jin has successfully helped release the potential of many students who have failed the public examination.

"It is not the end of the world if you fail the HKCEE. There are still many other choices if you want to continue your study," he added.

He hopes the Government will continue to provide funding to support the programme.

Meanwhile, the Education & Manpower Bureau will organise a career and education expo July 26-27 at Stars Atrium, 1/F, Plaza Hollywood, Diamond Hill, Kowloon.

For details of the exhibition, please visit the EMB website.