Talent pool: Dr Catherine Chan tells news.gov.hk the Academy for Gifted Education will start enrolling students in the 2007-08 school year.

A preparatory committee has launched a world-wide search to recruit the academy's director. The recruitment process is underway while funding approval is sought from the Legislative Council.

Dr Chan told news.gov.hk the director should be a veteran in gifted education, with comprehensive experience in curriculum, teacher training, parental support and academic research.

To broaden the scope and scale of gifted education, the academy will extend and continue the successful work of the Support Measures for the Exceptionally Gifted Students Scheme by organising courses outside schools.

The scheme in the past five years helped train 5,000 talented youths, some of whom excelled in the International Mathematical Olympiad and International Physics Olympiad. The contestants won 42 medals - five gold, 17 silver and 20 bronze over the past five years.

Dr Chan said the preparatory committee includes representatives of school headmasters, teachers, parents, students, as well as representatives from the universities and other related educational bodies connected with gifted education.

To accommodate students of differing talents, the academy will extend and diversify its curriculum, from a mathematic-scientific emphasis to embracing languages, arts, music, and even archaeology and astronomy.

Dr Chan said that the enrolment age will be pitched at those aged 10 to 18, which is much broader than the current target group of Secondary 3 or above. As such, she expects more gifted youths to benefit from the training as the age spectrum now covers both secondary and upper primary students.

As the academy will commission university faculties and other course providers to hold the classes, there will not be a school campus. Course providers will provide the venues for a more cost-effective operation. Classes will normally be held on weekends or weekday evenings, without affecting students' regular schooling.

The Government is exploring the most appropriate mode of running the academy which is supported by a $100 million donation from Sir Joseph Hotung. The government may also inject funds.

Teachers and headmasters will identify and recommend talented students in their schools. Further screening will then be conducted to decide on candidates for the gifted education courses.

The goals of establishing the academy, other than coordinating and implementing gifted programmes for students, also include empowering teachers. It will provide training for primary and secondary school teachers, to enhance their ability to identify gifted youths and deliver primary training for them.

At present, there is a general lack of teacher training in gifted education. The academy can help facilitate and strengthen teacher training to generate better synergy and coordination between gifted programmes offered at schools and those off-site in nurturing an increasing number of gifted students.

There are limited researches on gifted education as the history of development of local gifted education is relatively short. The academy will also conduct academic research related to gifted education so as to sustain and further enhance its quality.

Dr Chan said the academy will, once formed, absorb the Support Measures for the Exceptionally Gifted Students Scheme and some student activities of the Fung Hon Chu Gifted Education Centre, for better course management and planning of off-site support for the gifted education programmes.

The education centre will then focus on supporting the implementation of gifted education in schools through classroom learning and teaching and pull-out programmes in schools. The two would work hand in hand to enhance the capacity of gifted education and expand the local talent pool in maintaining Hong Kong's status as a world city.