Session 21 EDB - page 32 Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2017-18
CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY
(Question Serial No. 0120)
Head: (156) Government Secretariat: Education Bureau Subhead (No. & title): (000) Operational expenses
Programme: (3) Primary Education, (4) Secondary Education, (6) Other Educational Services and Subsidies, (8) Policy and Support
Controlling Officer: Permanent Secretary for Education (Mrs Marion LAI) Director of Bureau: Secretary for Education
Question:
Regarding the improvement of the teaching and learning environment of public sector schools, please provide the following information:
1. Please list the numbers of primary and secondary schools that were operated in school premises considered as sub-standard according to the prevailing standards in each of the past 3 years.
2. Please list the numbers of schools which applied for the School Improvement Programme, reprovisioning programme, redevelopment programme and minor improvement projects in each of the past 3 years. What were the staffing and expenditures involved in each of the above programmes?
3. Please list, by district council district, the numbers of schools that had yet to receive approval for the above programmes in the past 1 year and give the reasons.
4. In the 2017/18, what will be the Government’s measures to facilitate the improvement of school premises of public sector schools? What is the estimated expenditure?
Asked by: Hon CHAN Tanya (Member Question No. 61) Reply:
1. At present, there are about 850 ordinary public sector primary and secondary school premises built in different periods in accordance with the standards at the time of construction, which cover various facilities and have been changing over the years. Nevertheless, existing school premises in operation are required to comply with prevailing statutory requirements. As at February 2017, over 200 of them were built according to prevailing standards.
Among the schools built in different periods, cuboidal shaped school premises were constructed between mid-1960s and 1980 at public housing estates for primary school use. These school premises are often referred to as “matchbox-style school premises” and considered as “sub-standard” school premises as compared with the newly built school premises and prevailing standards. At present, 28 public sector primary schools are operating in such premises and two of them have been allocated with new school premises for reprovisioning.
2. and 3. Over the years, the Education Bureau (EDB) has put in place various measures to enhance the facilities of school premises according to the needs of the schools, so as to improve their teaching and learning environment. These measures mainly include the School Improvement Programme (SIP)
Reply Serial No.
Session 21 EDB - page 33 implemented between 1994 and 2006, reprovisioning programme, redevelopment programme and minor improvement projects.
SIP, one of the recommendations of the Education Commission in its Report No. 5, was introduced in 1994 to progressively upgrade the teaching and learning environment of schools so as to provide additional space and facilities for teaching, out-of-class activities and supporting services for both teachers and students.
Phase One to Three of SIP focused on upgrading the schools’ facilities for teaching, learning and administrative needs. Phase Four and the Final Phase aimed to upgrade the schools’ facilities to the prevailing standards where technically feasible. The scope of improvement works for individual schools under SIP varied according to the schools’ vision and mission, characteristics, the facilities in place and site conditions. About 700 ordinary public sector schools built according to the planning standards when the schools were constructed have their school facilities enhanced through one of the five phases of SIP.
For reprovisioning of existing schools to new school premises built on reserved school sites or vacant school premises (VSP) which are suitable for this purpose, allocation is generally done through open and competitive bidding under the School Allocation Exercises (SAE). All eligible school sponsoring bodies in the territory can apply for reprovisioning of existing schools under their sponsorship when SAE for reprovisioning purpose are launched from time to time. In the past three financial years, three sites were allocated for reprovisioning purpose and applications from 19 schools were received; while one VSP was allocated for extension purpose and one application was received.
For in-situ redevelopment projects, interested schools would indicate their intention for redevelopment to EDB which would assess whether it is worth supporting based on a set of eligibility criteria including the technical feasibility in light of the site constraint, quality of education provided, sustainability of the school under consideration, availability of suitable decanting premises, readiness of the school, etc. We also need to take into account the available manpower and foreseeable school building commitments within EDB, as well as the likely capacity constraints of the construction sector as gauged from past experience when deciding on the number of projects to be supported. We are now working on seven in-situ redevelopment projects with funding secured for three of them. We will consider taking up additional projects having regard to the progress of the school projects in hand as well as the redevelopment projects committed so far, funding availability under the Public Works Programme in recent years and the demand from schools for redevelopment.
As for minor improvement works, EDB applies for block allocations under the Capital Works Reserve Fund (CWRF) to implement such works so as to improve the facilities of schools in need. In the past three financial years, a total of 26 new minor improvement works projects were approved, involving a total estimated expenditure of about $286 million.
The relevant manpower expenses in processing the application of the above improvement measures were subsumed under the recurrent expenditure of EDB. We do not have a separate breakdown on expenditure in this regard.
4. In light of the discussion and consensus reached by EDB, the Legislative Council Panel on Education (the Panel) and the sector at the tripartite meetings held in 2016, the Chief Executive announced in his Policy Address on 18 January 2017 the initiative to improve the facilities of the 26 “matchbox-style school premises” (Note 1) with regard to the unique design features of such premises. We have briefed Members of the Panel at its meeting of 13 February 2017 on the related arrangement, including five proposed improvement measures in relation to the common problems arising from the unique design features of these school premises, as well as exploration of potential scope for campus expansion and technically feasible means for better utilising the existing space. The Government will allocate additional resources to take forward the aforementioned improvement scheme. Given that the conditions and needs of these 26 primary school premises vary, the corresponding scope and in turn costs and duration of the works for individual schools would also differ. EDB and our consultants are scheduling meetings with individual schools for in-depth discussions regarding the details of the improvement arrangements, including the works items to cover, priority of such works items and the works programme, in order to finalise the particulars of the works project for individual schools as soon as possible and to commence the improvement works concerned during the 2017 summer break. The total amount of funding required and the cash flow will only be available at a later stage.
Session 21 EDB - page 34 In addition, EDB will continue to implement various measures such as reprovisioning and redevelopment programmes to enhance the facilities of the public-sector schools. School premises maintenance works will also be carried out to improve the facilities of these schools through the established mechanism of major repairs and emergency repairs, and about $1,186 million, representing an increase of about 9% when compared to 2016-17, has been earmarked in 2017-18 for the purpose.
Note 1: Of the 28 public-sector primary schools operating in matchbox-style school premises, two of them have been allocated with new school premises for reprovisioning and hence are not covered in the improvement scheme.
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Session 21 EDB - page 35 Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2017-18
CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY
(Question Serial No. 0210)
Head: (156) Government Secretariat: Education Bureau Subhead (No. & title): (000) Operational expenses
Programme: (1) Director of Bureau’s Office
Controlling Officer: Permanent Secretary for Education (Mrs Marion LAI) Director of Bureau: Secretary for Education
Question:
a) From 1 July 2012 onwards, what were the dates of Legislative Council meetings the Secretary for Education (SED) and the Under Secretary for Education (US(Ed)) had attended each year and the durations of their attendance (Please provide the attendance data of the two political appointees respectively)?
b) From 1 July 2012 onwards, what were the details of the meetings of the Legislative Council’s Panel on Education, Bills Committee and sub-committees that the SED and the US(Ed) had attended respectively each year, including the dates of meetings, the respective committees, the agenda items and the number of hours of attendance?
c) From 1 July 2012 onwards, what were the respective numbers of Legislative Council meetings, committee meetings, sub-committee meetings and other meetings that the US(Ed) had attended on behalf of the SED each year due to his duty visits outside Hong Kong, absence on leave or other reasons?
d) Is there a mechanism in the Education Bureau for determining whether it should be the SED or the US(Ed) to attend a Legislative Council meeting? If yes, what are the details?
Asked by: Hon CHAN Tanya (Member Question No. 52) Reply:
(a)-(b) The numbers of Legislative Council (LegCo) meetings, committee meetings and sub-committee meetings the Secretary for Education (SED) and the Under Secretary to Education (US(Ed)) had attended since 1 July 2012 are tabulated as follows:
LegCo Year 2011-2012
LegCo Year 2012-2013
LegCo Year 2013-2014
LegCo Year 2014-2015
LegCo Year 2015-2016
LegCo Year 2016-2017
(up to 14 March 2017)
LegCo meetings 0 32 28 30 23 9
Committee / Panel Meetings
1 29 26 23 29 18
Sub-committee meetings
0 9 10 13 4 2