Kenneth Chen Wei-on, SBS is the current Secretary General of the Secretariat of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. He was appointed as the Undersecretary for education in 2008.

Kenneth Chen
陳維安
Secretary General of the Secretariat of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Assumed office
29 September 2012
Preceded byPauline Ng Man Wah
Undersecretary for Education
In office
24 July 2008 - 30 June 2012
Succeeded byKevin Yeung
Personal details
Born1965 (age 58–59)
Hong Kong
NationalityChinese (Hong Kong)
SpouseMaura Wong Hung Hung (Senior Citizen Home Safety Association CEO)
Alma materPrinceton University
Harvard University
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Diocesan Boys' School

Education

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Chen attended Diocesan Boys' School from 1977 to 1982,[1] and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and computer science from Princeton University, a Master of Science degree in applied mathematics from Harvard University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Career

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He joined the Hong Kong Jockey Club in 2000 and was its director of Racecourse Business when he left. He served as a part-time member of the Central Policy Unit between 1998 and 2000 and a Member of the Advisory Committee on Teacher Education and Qualifications between 2002 and 2008.[2]

Undersecretary

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In 2008, he was nominated Undersecretary for the Education Bureau under the Political Appointments System.[2] He chaired a working group to study the development of e-learning resources in Hong Kong. A report was published in October 2009.[3]

Secretary General

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In 2019, he was criticised by the pan-democrats for exceeding his powers. On behalf of the Secretariat, he issued a circular to members of the bills committee on Saturday requesting them to vote on whether to replace James To with Abraham Razack as the presiding officer of the committee in question. The pan-democrats believed that he did not follow the convention of allowing members to discuss the matter first. An online petition gathered over 20,000 signatures calling for his resignation.[4]

Personal life

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References

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  1. ^ "拔萃校友報師恩 給好校長一個家 DBS alumni show teacher gratitude -gifts headmaster a home". Apple Daily (in Chinese). Hong Kong. 2 November 2009.
  2. ^ a b Info.gov.hk. "Info.gov.hk." CE appoints Under Secretaries (with photos). Retrieved 21 June 2008.
  3. ^ "SED welcomes submission of textbooks and e-learning resources report". Info.gov.hk. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  4. ^ Lum, Alvin (7 May 2019). "Legco secretary general sidesteps calls to resign over removal of pan-democrat bills committee chairman James To, insisting he did everything by the book". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
Political offices
New title Under Secretary for Education
2008–2012
Succeeded by
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Preceded by Secretary General of the Secretariat
2012–present
Incumbent