WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1992
11
REVIEW ON OVERSEAS EDUCATION ALLOWANCES AND PASSAGES UNDERWAY
A REVIEW IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY TO EXAMINE WHETHER AND HOW THE OVERSEAS EDUCATION ALLOWANCES AND SCHOOL PASSAGES SCHEME SHOULD BE TOLD CHANGED, THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
AMONG THE CONSIDERATIONS IN CARRYING OUT THE REVIEW ARE THE AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY OF LOCAL EDUCATION, HE SAID.
HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO CONSULT STAFF ON ANY PROPOSALS TO MODIFY THE OVERSEAS EDUCATION ALLOWANCE SCHEME AND SCHOOL PASSAGE SCHEME BEFORE ANY CHANGES WERE INTRODUCED TO THE CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT OF SERVING OFFICERS.
IN A
NG,
MR
ΤΟ
WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON STEPHEN WIGGHAM EXPLAINED THAT THE TWO SCHEMES WERE INTRODUCED IN THE PAST FACILITATE RECRUITMENT FROM OVERSEAS AND WERE LATER EXTENDED TO LOCAL OFFICERS ON GROUNDS OF PARITY.
THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THE SCHEMES WHICH HAVE BECOME
HE ADDED.
ON THE RATES OF THE ALLOWANCES, MR WIGGHAM SAID THE OVERSEAS EDUCATION ALLOWANCE VARIED FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY ON THE COST OF EDUCATION IN THAT COUNTRY.
OUT-DATED,
RATES DEPENDING
OF
"THERE ARE DIFFERENT RATES FOR DAY SCHOOL AND BOARDING SCHOOL.
UK "TRADITIONALLY, WE HAVE FOLLOWED THE RATES LAID DOWN BY THE
DEVELOPMENT
STAFF ADMINISTRATION (ODA) FOR ITS OVERSEAS
WORKING OVERSEAS. THE ODA RATES ARE REVISED FROM TIME TO TIME BASED ON CHANGES IN THE LEVEL OF TUITION FEES IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES.
WAS
HE NOTED THAT THE COST OF SCHOOL PASSAGES ON THE UK ROUTE
BETWEEN THE BASED ON THE CONTRACT FARE IN THE AIR PASSAGE AGREEMENT GOVERNMENT AND THE TWO OPERATING AIRLINES.
SCHOOL PASSAGES ON NON-UK ROUTES WHICH ONLY CONSTITUTE 4.5 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL, ARE BASED ON THE PUBLISHED ECONOMY FARE OR STUDENT FARE, WHERE AVAILABLE.
ABOUT
1
CLASS
/MR WIGGHAM