To equip child care workers with professional knowledge and skills in teaching children with special educational needs (SEN), Heep Hong Society has collaborated with the Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) to offer two academic programmes in 2012: Higher Diploma in Early Childhood Education (Special Educational Needs) and Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education (Special Educational Needs). The latter is included in the Social Welfare Department's Approved Course List for Course Fee Reimbursement and Education Bureau's Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme.
Heep Hong Society also announced receiving a donation of HK$5 million from the Joseph Lau Luen-hung Charitable Trust for developing the programmes and establishing scholarship awards. Application deadline is 10 March 2012.
Speaking at the contract signing ceremony, Ms Nancy Tsang, Director of Heep Hong Society, said, “The overall demand for pre-school special education has been increasing, along with the rising number of young children requiring special service. At present, more than 6,000 children are receiving pre-school special education service while over 5,000 are on the waiting list. Facing such huge demand, we have encountered great difficulties in employing sufficient special child care workers. A survey conducted by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service has revealed that about 200 child care workers will need training in special child care for the coming three years. Such training will be useful to over 10,000 kindergarten teachers for identifying children with special needs and catering for learner diversity.”
Ms Tsang added, “The four core courses are developed by Heep Hong experienced psychologists and therapists. They are namely Early Assessment and Intervention; Teaching Pre-school Children at Risk of Dyslexia; Supporting Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders; and Language Delay and Training. Upon completion of these courses, students will be recognised as holding the qualification equivalent to the Social Welfare Department’s “One-Year In-Service Course in Special Child Care Work”.
Heep Hong Society also announced receiving a HK$5 million donation to develop the above new programmes. Dr Henry Au Yeung, Chairman of Executive Committee of Heep Hong Society, expressed deep gratitude to the Joseph Lau Luen-hung Charitable Trust for supporting the development of the programmes and setting up scholarship and award schemes.
