1
EDUCATION BUREAU CIRCULAR MEMORANDUM NO. 40/2022 From:
Ref.:
Permanent Secretary for Education
EDB(SA1)/PRS/POL/1(V)
To: Supervisors and Heads of all English Schools Foundation schools, international schools, Private Independent Schools and other private primary and secondary day schools
Date: 17 February 2022 c.c. Heads of Sections – for information
One-off Relief Grant for Private Day Schools under the Sixth Round of Anti-epidemic Fund
Summary
The purpose of this circular memorandum (CM) is to inform all schools under the English Schools Foundation (ESF), international schools, Private Independent Schools (PISs) and other private primary and secondary day schools about the provision of a one-off relief grant for private schools.
Details
2. On 15 February 2022, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved injection into Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF) for implementing a series of relief measures through the sixth round of AEF, targeting sectors affected by the anti-epidemic measures. To alleviate the financial hardship of private primary and secondary day schools arising from the suspension of face-to-face classes/conducting of half-day schooling in light of the persistent and recent worsening of Coronavirus Disease 2019 epidemic, the Education Bureau (EDB) provides a one-off grant of $80,000 to each registered private primary and secondary day school funded by the AEF.
Eligible Schools
3. All schools under the ESF, international schools, PISs and other registered private primary and secondary day schools offering formal curriculum which are in operation on the issue date of this CM are eligible. For schools operating both primary and secondary sections, each section will be counted as one school. If a school is operating at more than one location, it is only counted as one school, regardless of its different locations. A special school operating both primary and secondary levels will be counted as one school.
2
Disbursement Arrangement
4. No application is required for schools meeting the eligibility requirement specified in paragraph 3 above. Disbursement arrangements are as follows:
(i) Schools under ESF which are in receipt of government subvention:
The grant will be credited directly to the schools’ bank accounts.
(ii) International schools, PISs, and other private primary and secondary day schools:
If the school has received the previous one-off relief grant under EDBCM No. 192/2020 through autopay, this grant will continue to be credited to the school’s bank account by autopay. If the school has previously received the one- off relief grant by crossed cheque or submitted the payment information form for the one-off relief grant under EDBCM No. 29/2022, this grant will continue to be disbursed by crossed cheque, which will be sent to the address under the school registration.
The grant will be disbursed to the above schools in about one month after the EDB’s obtaining the funding.
5. For private day schools which have not received the one-off relief grant under EDBCM No. 192/2020 and not submitted the payment information form for the one-off relief grant under EDBCM No. 29/2022 and have fulfilled the criteria mentioned in paragraph 3 above, they are required to complete a payment information form at the Annex, and return it to the School Administration 4 Section of the EDB by fax (Fax no.:
3520 4789) or by post (Address: 5/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong) on or before 28 February 2022. A crossed cheque will be sent to the address under the school registration in about one month upon receipt of duly completed payment information form. If the EDB has not received the duly completed payment information form by the above-mentioned date, it will be assumed that the one-off relief grant is not required by the school. Schools which have received the one-off relief grant under EDBCM No. 192/2020 or submitted the payment information form for the one-off relief grant under EDBCM No. 29/2022 are not required to submit the Annex again. For any school with change in payee information (e.g.
payee name is different from the one previously provided to the EDB), it may inform us of the proposed change by submitting the Annex by the said timeline.
Accounting Arrangement
6. All schools should properly record the one-off relief grant in their books of accounts. All books of accounts, receipts, payment vouchers and invoices must be kept for at least 7 years by schools for accounting and auditing purposes. The school should use the grant for expenses in school operation and be responsible for ensuring its effective use. In this connection, schools are advised that the grant must not be used for expenses in entertainment. Schools are also not allowed to distribute the grant to a third party in any form, including as donations or loans, or transfer it to other accounts.
3
The EDB may request schools to provide information and relevant documents for examining the use of the grant. If a school is found not spending the grant properly, the school will be required to return the disbursed grant to the EDB. Schools which are normally required to submit audited accounts to the EDB should adhere to the EDB’s requirements on submission of audited accounts as set out in the relevant call letter.
Enquiries
7. For enquiries, please contact the respective Senior School Development Officers or the School Administration 4 Section of the EDB at 3509 8664.
(Dr Verena LAU)
for Permanent Secretary for Education
4
Payment Information Form
One-off Relief Grant for Private Day Schools under the Sixth Round of Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF)
(For use by private primary and secondary day schools which have not received the one-off relief grant under EDBCM No. 192/2020 and not submitted the payment
information form for the one-off relief grant under EDBCM No. 29/2022; or schools with proposed change in payee information)
To： Permanent Secretary for Education
(Attn：School Administration 4 Section, Education Bureau
5/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong [Fax no.: 3520 4789])
I, ______________________________________________ (name), as the Supervisor of ______________________________________________ (name of school), would like to provide the following information for receiving the above grant:
1. Name of school: ___________________________________________________________
2. School registration number (six-digit): _______________
3. Name of payee for this grant and the name of school above are identical; or
Name of payee for this grant and the name of school above are NOT identical, I hereby request the Education Bureau to pay the full amount of the one-off relief grant to __________________________________________________ (payee name as an individual person is NOT accepted). The reason(s) for using the above bank account is/are as follows:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4. My school has not received the one-off relief grant under EDBCM No. 192/2020 and not submitted the payment information form for the one-off relief grant under EDBCM No.
29/2022; or
There is change in the payee information.
5. Name of contact person and e-mail address for communication:
___________________________________________________________________________
I will abide by the applicable terms stipulated in EDBCM No. 40/2022 on the one-off relief grant for private day schools under the sixth round of AEF.
Full Name of School (Identical to the chop)：
Signature of Supervisor：
Name of Supervisor：
Date：
Annex
School Chop
[please put a “” as appropriate]
