Session 21 EDB - page 132 Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2017-18
CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY
(Question Serial No. 2245)
Head: (156) Government Secretariat: Education Bureau Subhead (No. & title): (-) Not specified
Programme: (6) Other Educational Services and Subsidies
Controlling Officer: Permanent Secretary for Education (Mrs Marion LAI) Director of Bureau: Secretary for Education
Question:
Please list out the respective expenditure on the various support measures for non-Chinese speaking (NCS) or ethnic minority students to facilitate their learning of the Chinese language in the past 2 financial years; as well as the respective estimated expenditure in this financial year.
Asked by: Hon HO Kwan-yiu, Junius (Member Question No. 21) Reply:
For the planning of education support measures, students whose spoken language at home is not Chinese are broadly categorised as non-Chinese speaking (NCS) students. The support measures for NCS students from the 2015/16 to 2017/18 school years and the expenditure are tabulated at Annex.
Reply Serial No.
Session 21 EDB - page 133 Annex Educational support measures for non-Chinese speaking (NCS) students
from the 2015/16 to 2017/18 school years
Support measures
Actual expenditure in
the 2015/16 school year
$ million
Estimated expenditure in
the 2016/17 school year
$ million
Estimated expenditure in
the 2017/18 school year
$ million Enhanced funding support and enhanced
school-based professional support have been provided to facilitate schools’ implementation of the “Chinese Language Curriculum Second Language Learning Framework” (“Learning Framework”) and support of NCS students in learning Chinese language as well as creation of an inclusive environment in schools. Eligible schools may also apply for funding to provide after-school support for NCS students’ learning of the Chinese language.
224.0 Note 1
244.9 Note 1
259.5 Note 1
Development of the “Learning Framework” and the supporting learning and teaching materials for implementation starting from the 2014/15 school year
3.0 Note 1
3.0 Note 1
3.0 Note 1
Training programmes for Chinese Language teachers teaching NCS students
The
programmes are subsumed under the overall professional development programme of EDB and a breakdown of expenditure by item is not available.
The
programmes are subsumed under the overall professional development programme of EDB and a breakdown of expenditure by item is not available.
The
programmes are subsumed under the overall professional development programme of EDB and a breakdown of expenditure by item is not available.
Chinese Language Learning Support Centres to offer remedial programmes after school hours and during holidays for those NCS students who have a late start in the learning of the Chinese Language, to develop teaching resources, and to organise workshops for experience sharing with teachers and workshops for NCS parents with a view to strengthening collaboration with NCS parents in the support for NCS students’ learning of Chinese
3.7 3.9 4.1
Summer Bridging Programme for NCS students in primary schools
Starting from 2013, the programme has been refined to allow NCS parents to accompany their children with a view to enhancing their exposure to, and use of, Chinese and support for their children.
2.6 2.6 2.8
Session 21 EDB - page 134 Student grant for Applied Learning Chinese (for
NCS students) starting from the 2014/15 school year
4.4 6.8 7.5
Subsidising eligible school candidates sitting for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) (Chinese) Examination since 2010 to the effect that the fee level of the examination payable by the subsidised school candidates is on par with the Chinese Language paper in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination or Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education
Starting from 2013, the examination subsidy coverage has been expanded to include other non-local Chinese examinations such as the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Subsidiary (AS)-Level and the GCE Advanced (A)-Level.
2.09 2.58 3.07
District-based programmes in collaboration with non-governmental organisations since the 2012/13 school year to motivate NCS children to learn Chinese through fun activities such as games and creative art, etc. under the Language Fund
2.35 1.72 Note 2
Support for kindergartens admitting NCS students - (a) University-School Support Programmes financed by the Education Development Fund:
(i) a 3-year project to support kindergartens to enhance the learning and teaching of Chinese for NCS children from the 2012/13 to 2014/15 school years
- 0.7 -
(ii) a 2-year project to support NCS students in kindergartens in the transition to primary schools from the 2015/16 to 2016/17 school years
Note 3 Note 3 Note 3
(b) School-based professional support services Note 1 Note 1 Note 1 (c) With the implementation of the free quality
kindergarten education policy starting from the 2017/18 school year:
(i) a grant comparable to the recommended salary of one kindergarten teacher will be provided to kindergartens admitting 8 or more NCS students for supporting NCS students
- - 45.4
(ii) training courses will be provided for kindergarten teachers on support of NCS students
- - 1.8
Session 21 EDB - page 135 Notes:
1. These measures are provided by different sections of the Education Bureau (EDB) and deployment of staff may be adjusted having regard to the needs of individual schools. The relevant manpower resources and expenses are subsumed under the overall expenditure of EDB and/or different Funds including University-School Support Programme (USP) projects for primary and secondary schools funded under the Education Development Fund and a breakdown of expenditure by item is not available.
2. Subject to further deliberation by the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research, the estimated expenditure is still being worked out.
3. For the 2-year USP project from the 2015/16 to 2016/17 school years, the actual expenditure of the 2015/16 school year is $2.25 million and the estimated expenditure of the 2016/17 and 2017/18 school years is $5.85 million and $0.9 million respectively. As this USP project is provided for both kindergartens and primary schools, a breakdown of expenditure for kindergartens and primary schools is not available. Besides, a funding of about $10 million has also been earmarked for new USP project(s) to support kindergartens and primary schools admitting NCS students in the transition from kindergartens to primary schools from the 2017/18 to the 2018/19 school years.
- End -
Session 21 EDB - page 136 Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2017-18
CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY
(Question Serial No. 2251)
Head: (156) Government Secretariat: Education Bureau Subhead (No. & title): (-) Not specified
Programme: (7) Post-secondary, Vocational and Professional Education Controlling Officer: Permanent Secretary for Education (Mrs Marion LAI) Director of Bureau: Secretary for Education
Question:
The Chief Executive states in the Policy Address that “The Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme will continue to support up to 100 outstanding local students in their pursuit of studies in world renowned universities outside Hong Kong in the 2017/18 academic year. While there is no restriction on the disciplines of study, priority will be given to programmes conducive to boosting Hong Kong’s long-term competitiveness, in particular disciplines related to innovation and technology.” Would the Government please advise this Committee of:
1. the funding requirements/conditions of the Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme;
2. the total Government funding used for the scheme last year;
3. the total number of applicants of the scholarship scheme; and 4. the Government’s estimate for the scheme in this financial year?
Asked by: Hon HO Kwan-yiu, Junius (Member Question No. 22) Reply:
1. The Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme (HKSES), launched on 25 November 2014, aims to support local students to pursue studies in world renowned universities outside Hong Kong with a view to grooming a top cadre of talents with global vision, international network and world-class education, thereby contributing to enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness as Asia’s World City in a globalised knowledge economy. The scheme also seeks to support those students who have excellent academic achievement but lack the financial means to study in top-notch universities outside Hong Kong.
To be eligible for the HKSES, applicants are required to meet the following two criteria –
(i) have right of abode or right to land, or have entered Hong Kong on One-way Permits; and (ii) have resided in Hong Kong continuously for three complete years immediately prior to the
commencement of the academic programme outside Hong Kong.
Selection of awardees under the HKSES is merit-based, targeting the best and most outstanding Hong Kong students who are admitted to world renowned universities or programmes. All awardees will receive a non-means-tested scholarship to cover their tuition fees, subject to a ceiling of HK$250,000 per student per annum, whichever is lower. Financially needy students may also apply for the means-tested bursary, subject to a ceiling of HK$200,000 per student per annum. Awardees would be required to complete the specific study programme and undertake to return to Hong Kong upon graduation to work for at least two years or a period equivalent to the duration of receiving the scholarship, whichever is longer.