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A record high of 179 teachers from 141 primary and secondary schools have successfully completed a series of coaching courses under the Hongkong Bank Foundation School Coach Accreditation Programme (SCAP) from 15 to 30 July. This round of SCAP offers coaching courses in athletics, badminton, basketball, table tennis and squash. At the presentation ceremony held at the Hong Kong Sports Institute today (30 July), school teachers participating in the SCAP were presented with attendance certificates while six of them were awarded the Outstanding Awards for their excellent performance.

"We are very pleased with the overwhelming response, which means more school teachers can have the chance to enhance their coaching skills through this Programme and help develop the potential of youngsters. We would also like to thank the long-term commitment and unwavering support of the Hongkong Bank Foundation (HBF) for the SCAP and local sports development as a whole. We hope that more and more coaches can benefit from the Programme in the future," said Professor Frank Fu, Chairman of the Hong Kong Coaching Committee (HKCC), in his opening remarks at the ceremony.

The HBF has been supporting this Programme for more than 10 years. Teresa Au, Head of Corporate Sustainability Asia Pacific Region of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, said, "With the remarkable success achieved by Hong Kong athletes in Major Games in recent years and the various international sports games round the corner, a sporting culture has taken a strong root in schools and the wider community. We see a strong rise in the demand for school coaches. HSBC will continue to work closely with the HKCC, NSAs and schools to enhance the accreditation programme so as to train more qualified accredited school coaches."

Organised by the HKCC since 1998 and funded by the HBF, the SCAP aims to enhance the coaching standard of school teachers, especially non-PE teachers, who work with sports teams and co-curricular activities in primary and secondary schools, and to provide opportunities for them to obtain formal training and accreditation. Since its inception, the Programme is widely supported by various sectors from the society including the National Sports Associations (NSAs), principals and teachers, and has offered training courses in 10 different sports including athletics, badminton, basketball, football, handball, sports aerobics, squash, table tennis, tennis and volleyball. Through this Programme, more than 800 schools teachers have been accredited since 1998, and in return help promote sports culture in schools.

This year's summer programme comprises two modules which are the Sports-General Theory and the Sports-Specific Theory and Practical in five different sports including athletics, badminton, basketball, table tennis and squash. Participants need to obtain 80% attendance rate before they are eligible for the certificate. Those who passed the examinations in both modules and further go through another 30-hour practicum in their respective sports on a voluntary basis within one year would be awarded a School Coach Certificate.

Tse Ting-yan, a teacher of the Hong Kong Taoist Association School and one of the course participants in squash, the newly introduced sport this year, said, "The Programme is very unique and comprehensive, which has offered me the opportunity to develop and enhance my coaching skills. Through joining the courses, my coaching knowledge has been enriched in both theoretical and practical aspects which I am sure it can benefit my students in the coming school year."

Teacher Fok Ming-fai, a participant of the basketball course, comes from the Society of Boys' Centres Chak Yan Centre School (Primary Section), which is a special school for maladjusted children and those with specific learning difficulties or attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder. Fok hoped to build up students' team spirit and cooperation skills through playing sport, and said, "Apart from teaching, the most important job of a teacher is to educate our students to develop positive learning attitude and communication skills, and sport is a good means."

Meanwhile, three school teachers participated in the Christmas course were also presented the Outstanding Awards for their excellent performance during the ceremony.

The Hong Kong Coach Education Programme (HKCEP) has been funded by the HBF with a total commitment of more than HK$2,100 million since 1992. Throughout the years, over 20,000 coaches have benefited from the training and recognition programmes in the HKCEP. Apart from the SCAP, other major components of the HKCEP include Hongkong Bank Foundation Coach Accreditation Programme, Hongkong Bank Foundation Continuing Coach Education Programme and Hongkong Bank Foundation School Coach Continuing Education Programme, as well as Hongkong Bank Foundation Coaching Awards.

Recipient List of the Oustanding Awards (PDF)