PRESS RELEASES: 1999-2004

Kelly Chen throws her weight behind workplace English

Miss Kelly Chen, the Ambassador of the Workplace English Campaign (WEC), attended the "Workplace English 2004 Kelly Chen Fun Fun Show" today (April 10) and shared with the public the importance of workplace English through simple but meaningful games.

As the Campaign's ambassador, Miss Chen also made her Easter wishes in English at the show to raise public interests in pursuit of better English. Miss Chen's wishes included "prosperity to Hong Kong", "everyone gets a good job, enjoys good health and speaks better English".

These wishes were echoed by the audience who made similar wishes on two "Easter Wish Trees" specially set up at the venue.

The show was jointly presented by WEC and Radio Television Hong Kong to promote the TV programme "Workplace English". It was also one of the highlights of the "Workplace English Campaign Exhibition" held during the Easter holidays at Times Square in Causeway Bay.

The exhibition was organised by WEC from April 9 to April 12 to promote the importance of workplace English and the Hong Kong Workplace English Benchmarks, and to urge people to apply for the Funding Scheme for Workplace English Training by the deadline on January 1, 2005.

The "Easter Wish Trees" will be displayed until the last day of the exhibition for visitors to make their Easter wishes on improving English standards.

Funded by the Language Fund and launched by the HKSAR Government in February 2000, the WEC aims to heighten public awareness of the importance of English in the workplace and motivate the workforce to raise their English standard.

Its major activities include the establishment of the Hong Kong Workplace English Benchmarks and a $50-million Funding Scheme whereby employees may apply for subsidies to attend workplace English training and specified international business English tests.

As of end March 2004, the Funding Scheme has sponsored over 16,600 employees who have successfully completed their training and passed the specified international tests with an accumulated funding amount of $28 million. Another 3,700 employees are either undergoing training or having their applications for reimbursement processed, which will incur an additional funding amount of $8.5 million.

WEC is steered by SCOLAR established in 1996 to advise the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government on language education issues in general and on the use of the Language Fund.

End/Saturday, April 10, 2004