EDUCATION BUREAU CIRCULAR MEMORANDUM NO. 44/2022
From :
Ref.:
Permanent Secretary for Education
EDB(SDCT)2/ADM/125/1/5(3)
To: Supervisors and Heads of All Secondary Day Schools, Primary Schools, Special Schools and Kindergartens
Date: 17 February 2022 c.c. Heads of Sections – for information
Anti-epidemic Fund 6.0
“School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme”
Summary
This circular memorandum informs schools of the details about “School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme” under the Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF) 6.0. In order to simplify the procedures, applicants who have applied for the “School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme” under the AEF 5.0 are only required to fill in a simple declaration form for this Scheme, in which applicants declare that they still meet the eligibility criteria with the confirmation of their serving school bus operators. For new applicants who have not applied for the “School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme”
under AEF 5.0, they are required to submit a detailed application form.
Details
2. The suspension of face-to-face classes/conducting of half-day schooling and cessation/restriction of on-campus activities for schools due to the persistent and recent worsening epidemic situation have seriously affected the livelihood of the school bus drivers, school private light bus drivers and escorts since their services have forced to be halted. To alleviate their financial difficulties, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved an allocation of funding to the AEF on 15 February 2022 to provide subsidy to the school bus drivers, school private light bus drivers and nannies who provide school bus services in the 2021/22 school year in Hong Kong. Each eligible driver will receive a one-off subsidy of $10,000 and $10,0001 per vehicle will be provided for eligible
1 Having considered the operational needs of cross-boundary school coach (hereinafter referred to as “CBSC”) services, a subsidy of $20,000 per CBSC will be provided for eligible nannies who must be Hong Kong residents, and the maximum amount of subsidy for each nanny is $10,000. If more than two nannies serve at the same CBSC, eligible nannies of that vehicle can share a maximum of $20,000 subsidy based on the proportion of their service time.
Each nanny can receive a maximum of $10,000 one-off subsidy in total.
nannies (each nanny can only receive a one-off subsidy of $10,000 at maximum; the subsidy of $10,000 will be shared among nannies who have applied for AEF 5.0 based on the proportion of service time that they have filled in the application form for the “School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme” under the AEF 5.0).
Eligible Persons
3. School bus drivers / school private light bus drivers / nannies (hereafter referred to as “Applicants”) must have provided transport / school bus escort service for school bus operator(s) on a non-franchised public bus / school private light bus with a valid Passenger Service Licence for service endorsement(s) (A03), (A05) and/or (D01)2 to kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools and special schools (including public sector schools, schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS), schools under the English Schools Foundation, international schools, Private Independent Schools and private day schools providing full and formal curriculum) at any time from the commencement of the 2021/22 school year to the day the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved an allocation of funding to this Scheme (i.e.15 February 2022). The applicants are also required to be still providing transport / school bus escort service for school bus operators when they submit this application. In addition, school bus drivers / school private light bus drivers are required to hold a valid full driving licence for school bus with the relevant service endorsement(s) granted during the period of driving service.
(i) School bus drivers and nannies serving local students
4. The eligibility criteria of applicants for this Scheme are the same as that of the
“School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme” under the AEF 5.0. The applicants are also required to be still providing transport / school bus escort service for school bus operatorswhen they submit this application. All applicants who have applied but are still pending vetting by the EDB for the “School Bus Service Provider Subsidy Scheme” under the AEF 5.0 are only required to fill in a declaration form for this Scheme, in which applicants declare that they still meet the eligibility criteria with the confirmation made by their serving school bus operators.
5. For the new applicants who did not apply for the “School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme” under AEF 5.0 or those who have applied for it but their school bus service situation has changed (e.g. providing school bus service for another school bus operator), they should contact the School Development Division/Central Team 2 (Telephone: 3509 8537). We will handle their applications on a case-by-case basis.
2 Due to the difference in employment mode of “non-franchised private bus” (i.e. B01), this Scheme does not cover the drivers and nannies concerned. Nevertheless, for exceptional cases, please contact the EDB.
(ii) School bus drivers and nannies serving cross-boundary students
6. School bus drivers and nannies providing CBSC services to cross-boundary students are required to be still providing transport/ escort service in Hong Kong for school bus operators as self-employed persons or employees at the time of application. The operators served by the applicants must have submitted their applications to the EDB for the 2021/22 school year for (i) CBSC special quotas, (ii) School Bus Permits of Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point or (iii) access to Lo Wu Station Road (MTRCL Section) on or before 22 June 2021. The applications submitted must be complete and valid.
7. Eligible drivers and nannies are required to submit the duly completed Application Form (A) (applicable to drivers) or Application Form (B) (applicable to nannies) and the required document(s) to their school bus operators for confirmation of their service records. Meanwhile, school bus operators should complete Application Form (C) and submit the applications for applicants eligible for this Scheme.
Submission of Applications
8. The relevant information, declaration form and application forms have been uploaded to the website of the EDB (http://www.edb.gov.hk > School Administration and Management > Administration > About School > Prevention of Communicable Diseases in Schools > Application for Subsidy under the Anti-epidemic Fund). Applicants and operators can refer to the details and download the relevant declaration form and application forms from the website. For the details regarding the eligibility of applicants, application procedures and disbursement of subsidy, etc., please refer to the relevant guidance notes.
9. School bus operators serving local students are required to submit the duly completed declaration form by 11 March 2022 (Friday) by post to the School Development Division/Central Team 2, Education Bureau (Address: 5/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong) and specify “AEF 6.0” on the envelope. The declaration form can also be deposited in the EDB’s
“Application for the Anti-epidemic Fund” Drop-in Box located at the 2/F Staff Entrance of the Central Government Offices (Address: 2/F, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong). As for school bus operators providing CBSC services, they should submit the duly completed application forms with relevant document(s) by 25 March 2022 (Friday) to North District School Development Section, Education Bureau (Address: 22/F Landmark North, 39 Lung Sum Avenue, Sheung Shui, N.T.) and specify
“AEF 6.0” on the envelope. The application workflow of this Scheme is set out in the Appendix. The EDB will process and effect payment of the one-off subsidy as soon as possible on receipt of the duly completed declaration form or application form.
Schools’ Role
10. To simplify the procedures for timely disbursement of subsidy to eligible drivers and nannies applying for the “School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme” under AEF 6.0, schools are generally not required to complete “Confirmation Form of School Bus Service” for their school bus operators. However, under special circumstances (e.g.
applicants have not applied for the "School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme" under AEF 5.0, etc.), schools are required to confirm the service for their school bus operators (not applicable to CBSC). To facilitate our vetting of applications and hence disbursement of subsidy swiftly to eligible drivers and nannies, the EDB calls on schools to complete the “Confirmation Form of School Bus Service” once received from their school bus operators as soon as possible.
Enquiries
11. For enquiries, please contact the School Development Division/Central Team 2 on 3509 8537 (applicable to school bus services for local students) or North District School Development Section (applicable to CBSC services) on 2639 4879.
KK LEE
for Permanent Secretary for Education
Appendix Application Workflow of
“School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme”
(I) Applicants who have applied for the “School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme” under AEF 5.0:
Eligible drivers/ nannies
Complete Part (I) of the Declaration Form
Submit the Declaration Form to the serving school bus operators
After the EDB receives the Declaration Form:
Issue an “application acknowledgement” to drivers and nannies by SMS
Verify their applications (if necessary, the EDB will request applicants and / or their school bus operators to submit supplementary proof and information)
For successful applications, the Government will disburse the subsidy with a crossed cheque by post to the Hong Kong address as specified by the applicant in the application form for the “School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme” under AEF 5.0
(If the applicant is unable to provide a Hong Kong correspondence address in the application form for the “School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme” under AEF 5.0, the Government will mail a crossed cheque to the correspondence address of the school bus operator)
School bus operators confirm on Part (II) of the Declaration Form for eligible drivers and nannies and submit the duly completed Declaration Form to the EDB
by 11 March 2022 (Friday)
(II) For CBSC drivers and nannies applying for the “School Bus Service Providers Subsidy Scheme” under AEF 6.0
Eligible nannies
Complete Application Form (B)
Eligible drivers
Complete Application Form (A)
After the EDB receives the application form:
Issue an “application acknowledgement” to drivers and nannies by SMS
Verify their applications (if necessary, the EDB will request applicants and / or their school bus operators to submit supplementary proof and information)
For successful applications, the Government will disburse the subsidy with a crossed cheque by post to the Hong Kong address as specified by the applicant in the application form
(If the applicant is unable to provide a Hong Kong correspondence address, the Government will mail a crossed cheque to the correspondence address of the school bus operator)
Submit the application form to the serving school bus operator
School bus operators submit the application forms of drivers and nannies [i.e. Application Form (A) & (B)], together with the completed Application Form (C) and the relevant
documents to the EDB by 25 March 2022 (Friday)
School bus operators complete Part (III) “Confirmation Form of School Bus
Operator” of the relevant application form [i.e. Application Form (A) & (B)]
for drivers and nannies
School bus operators complete Application Form (C)
