Opening ceremony of Ethics College held today (with photos)
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The Correctional Services Department (CSD) held the opening ceremony of the Ethics College at Pak Sha Wan Correctional Institution today (November 30), implementing the policy measure concerned announced by the Chief Executive in the 2023 Policy Address to further assist persons in custody (PICs) in their rehabilitation and being well equipped for their reintegration into society.
The Ethics College, set up at Pak Sha Wan Correctional Institution and Lo Wu Correctional Institution, provides a one-year full-time Diploma of Applied Education programme for voluntary enrolment by adult PICs, which is taught by tutors from the Hong Kong Metropolitan University Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education. The CSD will also arrange life-wide learning activities related to career development, sports and arts, and national education for the PIC students, helping them cultivate positive values and obtain accredited qualifications for preparation for their reintegration into society.
Addressing the opening ceremony, the Under Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk, said that the establishment of the Ethics College is a very meaningful policy measure. It provides adult PICs with more diversified learning opportunities to help them obtain local accredited qualifications, develop good characters and equip themselves for reintegrating into society, changing their lives through education.
He expressed the hope that the PIC students will cherish the learning opportunity and successfully complete the programme which will offer them more opportunities for personal development, whether for further education or employment after release, making contribution to the development of the country and Hong Kong.
Steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) Mr Bernard Chan said in the ceremony that through donation to the Ethics College, the HKJC hopes to assist those PICs who aspire to further their education in equipping themselves, so that they can better reintegrate into society and contribute to Hong Kong in future. This is in line with the HKJC’s commitment to building a better society.
The Council Chairman of the Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU), Dr Conrad Wong, said that the HKMU fully recognised the CSD’s objectives in the work of rehabilitation, and has been providing different types and levels of education programmes for PICs. The HKMU offers the Diploma of Applied Education programme in the Ethics College not only to equip students with different skills and help them develop a good character and attitude, but also help them achieve whole-person development and acquire the necessary skills to contribute to society in future through participating in all-round learning activities outside classroom.
The Ethics College has started the new school year at the end of October with a total of 75 students in the first batch. Among them, 60 male PICs are receiving education at Pak Sha Wan Correctional Institution while the remaining 15 female PICs are attending classes remotely via video conferencing at Lo Wu Correctional Institution. They are expected to complete their studies and take examinations in June 2024.
The motto of the College is “Seek Knowledge, Cultivate Virtue”. The CSD hopes that the PICs, through the acquisition of knowledge, will have their moral and cultural literacy enhanced. The College has also set up a flag-raising team composed of PIC students to conduct flag-raising ceremonies on designated days to enhance the national identity of the PICs.