The Government today (May 30) announced the first list of over 300 reimbursable courses for the Continuing Education Fund (CEF). Applications for the fund can be submitted to the Office of the Continuing Education Fund (OCEF) starting from June 1.

"The first list is not exhaustive. We are still processing and vetting many course proposals from training providers and institutions," a spokesman for the Education and Manpower Bureau said.

"We will be updating the list of reimbursable courses regularly every month. We expect many more courses to be added to it."

"We suggest interested applicants to study the list of courses carefully and choose the courses that are most suitable for their continuing education and training needs. Applicants should avoid rushing to sign up for courses about which they are uncertain given that more choices will be available later," he added.

The objective of the CEF is to provide subsidies to people to pursue continuing education so as to prepare Hong Kong's workforce for the knowledge-based economy.

Any Hong Kong resident aged 18 to 60 without a university degree who enrols in a 'reimbursable course' may apply to the OCEF to open a personal continuing education account and, subject to the availability of funds, an amount of $10,000 will be earmarked.

Upon successful completion of the course, the applicant will be reimbursed 80 per cent of the course fee or $10,000, whichever sum is less. The account will remain open for two years during which period the applicant may use any balance to attend any number of reimbursable courses. However, each applicant will be allowed to make a maximum of two reimbursement claims (each claim can cover more than one course or module) during the two-year period.

Courses eligible for reimbursement under the CEF belong to the following sectors:

Industry specific sectors:
(1) logistics;
(2) financial services;
(3) China business;
(4) tourism;

Generic skills:
(5) language;
(6) design; and
(7) interpersonal and intrapersonal skills for the workplace

Information on the reimbursable courses can be obtained through the OCEF, the CEF website (http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef) and the Community Cyber Points of District Offices.

Applicants should submit their application before the commencement date of the course for which the first reimbursement of fees is sought. Application form (SFAA 192(2002)) is available from District Offices, OCEF and CEF website http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef. The completed application form together with photocopies of supporting documents should be submitted by post to the Office of the Continuing Education Fund at Room 1212, 12/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon.

A 24-hour telephone hotline 3142 2277 has been set up to answer public enquiries and members of the public may also browse the website http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef for information on the Fund.

END/Thursday, May 30, 2002

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