Two Jockey Club innovation and technology teaching content to be adopted and adapted in EDB Curriculum Modules

30/05/2023 18:12

Content from two initiatives supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club through its Charities Trust to promote innovation and technology (I&T) in primary and secondary schools will be adopted and adapted in two Curriculum Modules on Innovation and Technology Education soon to be launched by the Education Bureau (EDB). The initiatives, the Trust-created and funded CoolThink@JC programme and Trust-funded CUHK Jockey Club AI for the Future Project, were created to achieve that very purpose. They are intended to equip students with essential skills needed for a 21st-century workforce and enhance the digital competency among youngsters through the promotion of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education.

A Computational Thinking and AI Education - Mainstreaming and Commendation Ceremony was held today (30 May). Officiating guests included HKSAR Government Secretary for Education Dr Christine Choi and The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Executive Director of Charities and Community Dr Gabriel Leung.

The Club’s Executive Director of Charities and Community Dr Gabriel Leung noted that The Club has created and funded many projects over the years to help children and young people from different backgrounds thrive and to equip them with skills for their future success. The Club is delighted that both programmes’ materials are adopted and adapted by the EDB, to enable primary and secondary school students gain essential skills, knowledge and digital literacy. The Club will continue to support the growth and development of the next generation to nurturing future talent.

Speaking at the ceremony, Secretary for Education Dr Christine Choi especially thanked The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for its generous support. She appreciated the Trust for the collaboration with the Education Bureau to consolidate and draw on the experience accumulated by the schools from the two projects, distil and develop them into two sets of learning and teaching materials on Innovation and Technology Education - the “Enriched Module on Coding Education for Upper Primary Level” and the “Module on Artificial Intelligence for Junior Secondary Level”. The curriculum modules will soon be issued for use by all publicly-funded schools in Hong Kong to help teachers integrate innovation and technology elements into school curricula more systematically. Schools are expected to implement enriched coding education at the upper primary level and to integrate learning of artificial intelligence into the junior secondary curriculum to cultivate students’ interest and capabilities in learning information technology and innovative technology at an early age, dovetailing with the EDB’s strengthened promotion of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education and to foster I&T learning for all students in primary and secondary schools. The Secretary also thanked all primary and secondary school principals and teachers for their active participation in the two projects, creating a rich learning experience of innovation and technology for students, working together to promote innovation and technology education.

Talent is crucial in fostering innovation and technology development, and therefore nurturing students’ capabilities to learn science and technology should start from an early age. By adopting innovative, forward-looking approach, the Club seeks to create more social impact. To achieve this goal, it supports innovative service models and technology applications to enhance innovation capabilities in the community. Club-supported innovation and technology education programmes cater to primary and secondary students. They provide teaching materials, training and support to teachers, as well as public educational activities such as interschool coding and AI competitions and summer training camps, to enhance mathematical skills, logical thinking and scientific knowledge among the younger generation, thereby strengthening research capabilities. These programmes include:

CUHK Jockey Club AI for the Future Project — launched in 2019, aims to enrich junior secondary school students’ knowledge of AI, inspire creativity, instil AI ethics and promote the use of AI for social good. So far, the programme has benefited over 10,000 students.

CoolThink@JC programme— created in 2016, aims to encourage upper primary students to employ digital creativity for tackling challenges in an increasingly digital future, empowering them to become technology creators. Since its creation, it has been used to train over 1,200 teachers to support computational thinking education in primary schools and benefited over 80,000 students. It has also received three worldwide accolades, attesting to its effectiveness, including a Silver Award in the Engineering & IT category and a Bronze Award in the Presence Learning & Teaching category of the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2021, and accreditation from the International Standards for Technology Education (ISTE).

The Club’s support for these projects, like all of its charity donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax and charity support for the community. Indeed the Club’s support goes well beyond the financial. Together with its partners, the Club initiates and co‐creates programmes targeting emerging or unmet community needs, while also working to build capacity in the community.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2021/22, the Club returned a total of HK$33.6 billion to the community. This included HK$27.0 billion to the Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$6.6 billion in approved charity donations. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is also one of the world's top ten charity donors. The Club is always “riding high together for a better future” with the people of Hong Kong.