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Operating Junior Secondary Classes on the “Per Capita Subvention Mode”
1. Related Administrative Arrangements
(a) Schools operating less than two S1 classes in any school year may operate S1 classes on the
"per capita subvention mode" starting from the next school year if they do not apply for any development option or their applications are not approved. This subvention mode is applicable to that and the following cohorts of S1 students (including those admitted after the commencement of school year) until they complete S3 in the same school.
(b) S1 students admitted in the first school year of operating less than two S1 classes and thereafter will participate in Central Placement after completion of S3 and be allocated S4 places in other subvented schools for pursuing senior secondary curriculum . Starting from the fourth year of failing to meet the requirement of operating two S1 classes (i.e. when that cohort of S1 students reaches S4), no subvention will be granted to the schools concerned for operating subvented S4 and subsequent senior secondary classes. Since the "per capita subvention mode" is not applicable to senior secondary classes, schools intend to continue operating senior secondary classes can consider other modes of operation such as operating self-financed private senior secondary classes or merging with other schools.
(c) Schools operating junior secondary classes on the "per capita subvention mode" may still continue to participate in the subsequent Secondary School Places Allocation (SSPA) System with three S1 classes, but students will not be allocated to these schools unless parents choose the schools (i.e. participation in SSPA under the principle of "no-choice-no-allocation"). In other words, the number of S1 classes approved in the next school year will be capped at three and determined by the actual enrolment of students after the September headcount in that school year and the participation in SSPA will be under the principle of "no-choice-no- allocation".
(d) If schools operate junior secondary classes on the "per capita subvention mode", such an arrangement will be stated in the Handbook for Unrestricted School Choices, the Secondary School List and the Secondary School Profiles for reference by parents and students. The schools are required to inform applicants for S1 discretionary places of their schools that students allocated to S1 of their schools will receive three years of junior secondary education under this subvention mode and will be centrally placed to other subvented schools by EDB for pursuing senior secondary curriculum after completion of S3.
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(e) In brief, if the schools are rejected in their applications for development options in a specific school year and operate S1 classes on the "per capita subvention mode" starting from the next school year, the arrangements for that and the following cohorts of S1 students to pursue study at the senior secondary levels and their continuous participation in SSPA will be under the principles stated in paragraphs (a) to (d) above.
2. Points to Note
(a) If schools started operating S1 classes under the "per capita subvention mode", regardless of any change in the number of S1 classes approved in the future, they are not allowed to revert the classes concerned to "class subvention mode".
(b) The number of students recognised for subvention under the "per capita subvention mode" is based on the actual enrolment of students as at the specified date in September. Students exceeding the total number of students capped for the number of approved S1 classes at the September headcount and those admitted after the headcount will not be counted for the per capita subvention. This counting method also applies to S2 and S3 classes operated under the
"per capita subvention mode".
(c) The unit rate of per capita grant (Note 1) will be adjusted every school year and an amount of subsidy calculated on the number of eligible students is payable monthly.
(d) Schools operating classes under the "per capita subvention mode" cannot impose school fees on students in these classes. The mode of operation, including school curriculum, teaching and learning activities, teaching staff establishment and deployment, etc. of the classes operated under the "per capita subvention mode" must be the same as other ordinary subvented classes.
(e) Since the "per capita subvention mode" is not applicable to senior secondary classes, if schools operating junior secondary classes on the "per capita subvention mode" wish to continue to operate senior secondary classes, they may consider adopting other operation modes such as operating self-financed private senior secondary classes as a choice for students. If they are successful in their applications to operate private senior secondary classes, their students may still choose to participate in Central Placement and be allocated a place to pursue study at the senior secondary levels in another subvented school with vacant S4 places or a senior secondary school under the Direct Subsidy Scheme providing S4 places on a “no-choice-no- allocation” basis. If they wish to merge with other schools after adopting the "per capita subvention mode", they should make applications by the end of September in the school year
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when the S1 cohort admitted in the school year with less than two S1 classes operated reaches S3. For example, if a school is approved to operate less than two S1 classes in the 2016/17 school year and operates S1 classes on the "per capita subvention mode" starting from the 2017/18 school year, it may make an application to merge with other schools by the end of September 2018 the latest.
Note 1: The unit rate of the per capita grant is based on the average cost of a subsidised school place, excluding the staff cost and grants provided on a school basis, such as school principal and Native- speaking English Teacher, etc.
