Computer charity: Permanent Secretary for Education & Manpower Fanny Law and Council of Social Service Chief Executive Christine Fang launch the Computer Recycling Scheme.

The Education & Manpower Bureau and the Council of Social Service have urged community support for the Computer Recycling Scheme, which offers recycled computers and Internet services to needy families.

More than 30 partners will collaborate in donating computers, sponsoring operating system and software applications, providing refurbishment services, conducting parent IT training courses and offering warranties and hotline support services.

A Census & Statistics Department survey from June to August last year found about 20,000 primary and secondary students aged 10 and over did not have computers at home.

Launching the scheme today, Permanent Secretary for Education & Manpower Fanny Law said computers and the Internet have become an integral part of learning.

She said: "Instead of just staying in classrooms reading textbooks, students can learn by using computers and the Internet in accordance with their own schedules, needs and interests."

IT gives students a higher degree of autonomy for studying, she said, describing the scheme's success as the best Christmas gift to society.

The council's chief executive Christine Fang said if students from low-income families cannot get access to computers and end up with poor academic results, they will have more difficulty overcoming poverty in future. Needy students should be given a similar learning environment as their counterparts.

"With tripartite effort from the Government, the commercial sector, and NGOs, we can turn Hong Kong into a more digitally-inclusive society," Ms Fang said.

As refurbishing a computer requires parts from two to three others, a large quantity of old computers will be needed for the scheme to succeed.

Mrs Law and Ms Fang signed a joint letter calling for computer donations from practitioners, corporations, the private sector, professional bodies, chambers and schools.

In 2005-06, students from a Comprehensive Social Security Assistance family, receiving grants from the Senior Secondary Fee Remission Scheme or the School Textbook Assistance Scheme, or those endorsed by the scheme, can apply for refurbished computers.

Training for recipients' parents will also be arranged so they can motivate their children to appropriately use IT.

Details on the scheme are available here. For enquiries call 2876 2464 or email info@pc-recycle.hk.