The Education & Manpower Bureau estimates the non-recurrent funding required for implementing information technology education measures in the coming three financial years will total $111.5 million.

The bureau plans to seek the Finance Committee's approval for an increase in non-recurrent commitment for this purpose.

The bureau told lawmakers today it provides a recurrent expenditure of about $277.4 million annually to covering schools' IT-related recurrent expenditure, provide maintenance for schools' IT equipment, and run refresher training courses for teachers.

Further development needed

Most of the measures in the current IT in education strategy need further development and some will start in the coming two school years. They include:

* collaboration with non-governmental organisations, private sector and overseas communities in organising student programmes to promote the use of IT;

* revamping the existing training framework for teachers on the use of IT in education and develop professional development programmes for teachers;

* organise a flagship conference on IT in education in early 2006; and,

* roll out IT leadership training programme as a core training for all school heads.

To enhance the production and adaptation of resource materials, the bureau will continue its strategy to strengthen Hong Kong Education City's role incrementally as a market facilitator in the next two school years.

Donation campaign to launch

To help needy students acquire computers for use, a large-scale campaign will be launched in the next two school years to encourage donation of old computers for a recycling project.

Old computers will be refurbished and bundled with necessary software and given to the needy. The bureau will also provide basic IT training to parents of the students who will receive the computers.