HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 18 January 1989
香港立法局 —————— 一九八九年一月十八日
29
Phasing out of bisessional primary schools and simplification of Codes of Aid
7. MR. DAVID CHEUNG asked: With reference to Government's stated aims to phase out bisessional primary schools and to simplify the Codes of Aid for aided schools, will the Administration inform this Council what concrete steps have been taken towards the early attainment of these goals?
SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER: Sir, Mr. CHEUNG is asking about two issues. The first concerns half-day schools. Since I last spoke on this subject in this Chamber on 16 November 1988, the Director of Education has continued his detailed study of the number of new primary schools which will be needed to phase out half-day schools. As the study has progressed, we have found that the number of new schools needed is not as large as we originally thought. However, the study is not complete, and I am not yet in a position to announce a definite phasing-out programme.
Sir, Mr. CHEUNG's second question concerns progress on simplifying the Codes of Aid. In July 1988 Finance Committee approved significant changes to the
pattern of
grants payable to aided schools. These both simplified the system and gave greater recognition to the different requirements of schools of different sizes. The Director of Education has since then taken further action in three
areas.
Firstly, the amounts which schools may spend on major repairs without first going through tendering exercises have been substantially increased. Previously any repairs costing more than $2,000 in a primary school or $8,000 in a secondary school required tenders. With effect from last September tenders may be waived for repairs costing up to $30,000. With effect from next month ceilings for purchases of furniture and equipment without needing to tender will also be raised, from $2,000 to $5,000 for primary schools, and from $8,000 to $10,000 for secondary schools. This will relieve schools of a considerable amount of paperwork, and also enable them to carry out repairs, or buy equipment, rather more quickly. A circular on these new arrangements will be issued to all aided schools before the end of this month.
Secondly, agreement has been reached in principle that the Housing Department will from 1 April 1989, take over all internal maintenance of primary and secondary schools on its estates, in addition to its existing responsibility for external maintenance. This too will greatly reduce the administrative burden on such schools.