English tutors offer help
A group of Hong Kong students at overseas universities have volunteered to give underprivileged primary school pupils here access to English tuition.
The Access HK volunteer programme is a registered charity committed to equal opportunities. It has been running classes every summer for six years.
It targets primary schools in the most economically deprived districts, and strives to boost students' learning interest and English language skills.
A total of 40 students from top institutions in the US and Britain are leading this summer's three-week study programme.
The volunteers were recruited from student societies online.
'The idea is to boost [students'] confidence and give them new vocabulary to use,' said Access HK secretary Geraine Chan Tsz-weng, 19, a student at Warwick University in Britain.
Classes will be held at two schools - Lok Sin Tong Primary School (Kowloon City) and TWGHs Leo Tung-Hai Lee Primary School (Tin Shui Wai).
Students will also visit Ocean Park this week, and the Legislative Council later this month.
The daily classes began on Monday. 'We have been planning the classes and activities since January by e-mail and over the phone,' said the 2006 Access HK director, Lee Siu-po, 21.
'I applied last year and was interested in leading the programme. I've done volunteer English teaching before, and this time I wanted to be involved in planning it.
' The visit to Ocean Park will be a lot of fun for them ... it's all free, paid for by Access HK. '
