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新聞稿                                                                                          2021年3月5日

總編輯/港聞版編輯/經濟版編輯/副刊版編輯/教育版編輯/親子版編輯

全港最大網上補習平台AfterSchool  三贏營運模式  成社會企業典範

Online version: http://www.public.seedland.hk/press/Afterschool/2103-01/
Press release and Photos: Click Here (OneDrive)

於2018年成立的網上補習平台AfterSchool,甫推出即大受歡迎,註冊用戶人數達50,000人,當中超過四分之一學生為應屆文憑試考生,是全港最大網上補習平台。現由約50名導師提供逾200個針對中三至中六學生的課程,涵蓋中文、英文、數學(包括延伸課程M1和M2)、通識、物理、化學、生物、經濟、歷史、企會財、資訊及通訊科技和視覺藝術共14個學科。在新冠肺炎疫情影響下,網上補習能為學生提供更便利及具彈性的學習支援服務,亦成為文憑試考生的最強應試夥伴。創始人謝志峰及聯合創始人王偉峰的心願及目標是為莘莘學子提供更全面及更高效的學習支援,對於基層學生未能獲得適切的補習服務以至影響應試表現甚至升學機會深表關注,故以社會企業形式經營AfterSchool,除了收費相宜之外,更設義補服務,歡迎基層學生免費報讀,全費學生對免費學生的名額比例為2:1。

疫情期間,全港所有學校實行「停課不停學」,令通過錄像及直播形式遙距學習普及化,學生和家長對於網上補習的接受程度亦因而大幅提升,尤其是正在備試的文憑試考生,更樂於在足不出戶的情況下,透過網上補習追趕進度。王偉峰表示:「香港許多基層家庭由於經濟壓力而難以負擔補習開支,令基層學童失去接受學習支援的機會,影響考試成績,甚至無法繼續升學。為了支持及實踐『教育平等』的理念,AfterSchool以社企形式營運,為基層學生提供免費網上補習服務。過去一年,全港所有學生都適應了遙距學習的模式,同時亦有機會從不同渠道獲發平板電腦及數據卡等學習工具,為基層學生接受網上補習服務提供了不少便利,亦進一步促進我們實踐服務社會的目標。」

經營社企的最大挑戰,是必須建立健康及可持續的經營模式,避免由於虧損而引致財政問題,甚至需要結業。畢業於美國著名大學商科學院兼具投資銀行經驗的王偉峰表示,經營社企首要訂立穩健的商業模式:「社企跟慈善機構不同,開支不靠捐款支持,而是靠生意的收益及利潤營運,同時兼顧服務社會的目的。故此,在設計整盤生意的營運模式時,必須經過周全的考慮。單就業務性質而言,網上補習本來便有照顧弱勢社群之條件:網上課程可一次過供多人觀看,亦沒有由場地及租金引發的成本壓力及限制。當然,導師要服務免費報讀的學生,仍需要付出回答問題及批改試卷的時間。我們明白到,一切成功的合作關係都必須兼顧所有持份者的利益,否則難以持久。故此,我們會跟導師協議,其工作要求包含服務免費學生的承諾,而AfterSchool則保證提供高於市價的薪金予導師,以及承辦所有行政、推廣及訓練工作,以便導師們專心授課,令教學質素不斷提升。以上的安排,除了改善學生的成績及導師的回報之外,亦令AfterSchool的人力資源及課程質素得以不斷精進,穩步成長,達至『三贏』目標。」

AfterSchool在網上補習界別一枝獨秀,成功要訣包括把科技與教育融合,是本地領先把教育科技(Edtech)應用得出神入化的例子。謝志峰表示:「除了自行研發的專用視像教學系統外,我們亦利用大數據及引入遊戲化元素,幫助學生更有效率地提升學習水平。例如,我們提供的模擬試卷經過特別設計,涵蓋科目的不同部分,批改試卷時,系統會利用大數據作出分析,得出結果後,我們除了會通知學生其所得分數,更可準確地顯示出他們在哪些題目及哪種題型上失分最多,亦即分數真正代表的意義,並幫助同學在較弱的部分多加練習,尋求進步。除此之外,我們亦透過科技建立學術社區,同學可以通過手機應用程式匿名發問有關課業的問題,而社區中的學霸則會為提出疑難的同學提供答案,讓考生與同行者互相扶持、互相鼓勵,從而克服應試的緊張情緒。除此之外,我們亦特別為學術社區加入遊戲化元素,提問的同學需付出『金幣』吸引別人盡快提供答案,而答題的同學則可獲得提問者的『懸賞』作為獎勵,這些『金幣』日常可靠完成不同的任務及學習行為來累積,用作換取書券、網上課程或其他禮品,令刻苦的學習更添樂趣。」

有關AfterSchool
於2018年成立的網上補習平台AfterSchool,是全港最大網上補習平台,以社企形式營運。現由約50名導師提供逾200個針對中三至中六學生的課程,涵蓋中文、英文、數學(包括延伸課程M1和M2)、通識、物理、化學、生物、經濟、歷史、企會財、資訊及通訊科技和視覺藝術共14個學科,註冊用戶人數達50,000人,當中超過四分之一學生為應屆文憑試考生。其創新理念及商業模式,曾勇奪2017年香港社會企業挑戰賽亞軍及「我最喜愛的社企計劃」、星展銀行與新加坡國立大學合辦的2018年亞洲社會企業挑戰賽Experian Powering Opportunities Award、2018年「創青春」全國大學生創業大賽,以及YDC「敢闖。敢創」創業比賽等獎項。

發稿:AfterSchool 
代行:一口田有限公司 
電話:3583 3100         傳真:3583 1331         電郵: info@seedland.hk
如欲查詢詳情及索取照片,歡迎與Ms Helena Hui(電話:9534 0813;電郵:helena@seedland.hk)或Ms Adrienne Wong(電話:9450 9757;電郵:adrienne@seedland.hk)聯絡。

 

Press Release                                                                                      5 March 2021

Hong Kong’s number one online tutoring platform AfterSchool excels as a successful social enterprise with a sustainable win-win-win business model

Online version: http://www.public.seedland.hk/press/Afterschool/2103-01/
Press release and Photos: Click Here (OneDrive)

Established in 2018 and now the largest online tutoring platform in Hong Kong, AfterSchool has over 50,000 registered users, over a quarter of which are HKDSE candidates of the year. About 50 tutors are currently running over 200 courses in 14 subjects, covering Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics (including M1 and M2), Liberal Studies, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, History, BAFS, ICT, and Visual Arts for Form Three to Form Six students. During the COVID-19 epidemic, online tutoring provides students with more convenient and flexible support in learning acting as one of the most reliable comrades of the HKDSE candidates. With a vision and mission to provide comprehensive and efficient learning support for students, Ronald Tse, Founder of AfterSchool, and Raymond Wong, Co-founder of AfterSchool, are deeply concerned that many underprivileged students are not receiving sufficient support in tutoring, which will in turn affect their performance in examinations, hence the opportunity of furthering their studies. In order to support and promote equality in education, the two are devoted to providing a fair chance of learning for all by running AfterSchool as a social enterprise. Apart from offering courses at reasonable tuition fees, AfterSchool also provides free tutorials for students from low-income families, in the ratio of two paid student to one complimentary student.

The pandemic has caused all schools in Hong Kong to implement the “suspending classes without suspending learning” policy, hence popularising distant learning via videos and livestreaming. As students and parents have become more acceptive to online learning, candidates who are preparing for HKDSE are also more than pleased to catch up with the progress online. Raymond Wong said, “Students from low-income families who cannot afford private tutoring are deprived of the opportunity to receive support in learning, which will in turn affect their examination results and future study path. With supporting educational equality in mind, AfterSchool is operated as a social enterprise. Our mission to provide online tutoring service for low-income students has become particularly feasible since all students in Hong Kong have gotten used to remote learning in the past year, and all have been provided with learning tools such as tablet computers and data cards via various channels.”

The biggest challenge for a social enterprise is sustainability – a healthy and profitable business model must be built to keep the business running while at the same time, support its social purpose. Raymond, who took his business administration training in one of the most renowned business schools in the United States, followed by enriching work experience in an investment bank, explained the significance of setting up a prudent business model for his social enterprise, “Unlike a charitable organisation, a social enterprise does not rely on donations but on the revenue and profit from business operation, while upholding our mission in serving the society. With that in mind, detailed considerations must be taken into account when working out a business model. In nature, online tutoring itself meets the prerequisite of a social enterprise that help the disadvantaged – online courses can be broadcast to many people at once, while there are no limitations on the venue and no added cost incurred by rental. Naturally, tutors still have to spend time on answering questions and correcting papers from students who enjoy complimentary placements. Based on the understanding that long-term successful partnerships are all built on the fulfillment of interests of all parties involved, we make an agreement with our tutors specifying that their duty includes a commitment in providing free services for free students; in return, AfterSchool guarantees to provide a salary higher than the market level to the tutors while taking care of all administration work, marketing and promotion, and training for tutors, allowing our teaching staff to focus on helping students and improving their teaching quality. The aforementioned arrangements not only lead to advancements in students’ examination results and tutors’ quality of life, but also facilitate improvements in AfterSchool’s human resources and course quality, hence achieving a win-win-win situation.”

A standout in the online tutoring sector, AfterSchool’s key to success is its pioneering approach to combine technology with education and fully utilising educational technology (Edtech). Ronald Tse shared, “Besides developing our own video and livestreaming teaching system, we have also taken advantage of big data analysis and gamification to help students study more efficiently. For example, the mock papers that we provide are specially designed to cover different subsections of the subjects. When the papers are marked, our system will make analyses with big data that allow us to not only notify our students about the scores they get but also accurately pinpoint topics or question formats that they lose points to, hence the true meaning of the scores. Students can then focus their time and efforts on those parts that they fall short. In addition, we have established an academic community with the aid of technology. Students can ask questions via our mobile app anonymously, and high-achievers in the community will provide answers for those questions. Candidates can thus help, support and walk with each other to overcome the pressure they are facing in preparing for the exams. To gamify the academic community, the students who ask questions will offer ‘gold coins’ to attract prompt answers while students who answer the questions will receive the ‘gold coins’ as rewards from the questioner. These gold coins can be accumulated by completing quests or learning missions daily, and they can be used to redeem book coupons, online courses or other gifts. Tedious study is made fun with these incentives.”

About AfterSchool
Established in 2018, AfterSchool is now the largest online tutoring platform in Hong Kong. About 50 tutors are currently tutoring over 200 courses in 14 subjects, covering Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics (including M1 and M2), Liberal Studies, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, History, BAFS, ICT, and Visual Arts for Form Three to Form Six students. The platform has attracted over 50,000 registered users, over a quarter of which are HKDSE candidates of the year. With its innovative concepts and business model, AfterSchool has won numerous awards, including the first runner-up and the Most Popular Project Award in Hong Kong Social Enterprise Challenge in 2017, Experian Powering Opportunities Award in the 2018 DBS-NUS Social Venture Challenge Asia, China College Students’ Entrepreneurship in 2018, and YDC Dare to Change Business Pitch Competition.

Released by Seedland International Limited
On behalf of AfterSchool

Media enquiries:
Tel: +852 3583 3100                     Fax: +852 3583 1331
Website: www.seedland.hk        E-mail: info@seedland.hk

Contact:
Ms Helena Hui (+852 9534 0813 / helena@seedland.hk)
Ms Adrienne Wong (+852 9450 9757 / adrienne@seedland.hk)