An academy for gifted students' education will come into operation in the 2007-08 school year, offering diversified training for 3,000 gifted primary and secondary school students, the Education Bureau says, adding the Government has been striving to support and nurture such students.

The enhanced support for gifted students began to bear fruit in recent years. Since the launch of the Support Measures for the Exceptionally Gifted Students Scheme in 2001, more than 6,000 gifted students have received training.

Fourteen-year-old Ho Hoi-lam - who scored eight As and 5* in Chinese Language in this year's Certificate of Education Examination - was a beneficiary of the scheme. Those representing Hong Kong in national, regional and international mathematics and science contests have made great achievements, with 22 gold medals, 69 silver medals, 119 bronze medals and numerous merit awards.

Three-tiered structure 

Gifted education is implemented based on a three-tiered structure. The first two levels encourage gifted students and those with high ability to be nurtured through school-based programmes.

If individual students are found to have outstanding academic performance compared with their same-age peers, schools may consider accelerating their study, such as grade-skipping in individual or all subjects. However, all aspects of their ability and needs must be considered before a decision is reached.

At the third level, off-site support and thematic training programmes are organised for exceptionally gifted students in collaboration with tertiary and related institutions. Over the past six years, about 6,000 students have benefited from the programmes.