A Quality Education Fund programme will be launched in the 2021-22 school year to facilitate equal opportunities in accessing e-learning for all students.

The Education Bureau today issued a circular memorandum to all public sector primary and secondary schools and Direct Subsidy Scheme schools informing them of the details of the Quality Education Fund e-Learning Funding Programme - Provision of Mobile Computer Devices & Internet Services Support.

Participating schools can apply for funding to purchase mobile computer devices for loan to needy students, and provide Internet services support for students who cannot acquire appropriate Internet services due to constraints of their living environment.

The 2020 Policy Address proposed that funding would be set aside in the fund to implement a three-year programme.

About $1.5 billion in funding was set aside to provide mobile computer devices and Internet services support, benefitting about 310,000 students.

In addition to students who are receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance or are beneficiaries of the School Textbook Assistance Scheme, a quota is also provided for schools to identify students with genuine financial needs according to school-based criteria so that those students can also benefit.

The bureau also announced that the Dedicated Funding Programme for Publicly-funded Schools will be extended for two years until the 2023-24 academic year.

The programme, originally lasting for four years, was launched in the 2018-19 school year to fund school-based curriculum development or student support measures.