Fifteen secondary schools are taking part in this year's Planning Department Outreach Programme. The programme, in its third year, runs from September to June. Lasting one to two weeks at each school, the programme consists of an exhibition and a briefing session. The exhibition covers topics such as town planning, new town development, sustainable development, conservation and urban renewal. A town planner will give students a briefing on a town planning topic during the exhibition period. Speaking at the opening ceremony at Wah Yan College, Hong Kong, Director of Planning Bosco Fung Chi-keung said: 'At a time when the Government is reviewing its educational policy, the outreach programme is even more meaningful. 'Through an exhibition and a seminar at each participating school, we hope to enhance students' understanding of the role of town planning and its importance to our society and environment.' Mr Fung said the programme also aimed to encourage students to help shape the future of the city by taking part in the planning process. Approaching the millennium, Mr Fung said a major challenge before Hong Kong was how to plan for sustainable development and how to enhance the quality of life. 'The pursuit of economic development should not be at the expense of the environment. The main challenge is to achieve a vibrant economy, a quality environment and social progress at the same time,' he said. He said the Government had launched a consultancy study on 'Sustainable Development for the 21st Century'.