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(c)
The Department has also taken steps to help immigrant children and their parents settle down in Hong Kong. This is done through a special induction programme, school placement services, and school-based remedial teaching and counselling services. In April 1995, with the help of voluntary agencies, a new induction programme was launched to help immigrant children integrate more quickly into the local environment. This is being expanded to cater for additional immigrant children arriving under the increased quota from 1 July 1995. The estimated cost for running this programme is $8.3 million per annum, and 10,000 new immigrant children are expected to benefit from it every year. For school placement services, District Education Offices will continue to assist newly arrived immigrant children. In addition, schools have been advised to give special attention to these children, providing them with appropriate remedial teaching and school guidance and counselling services.
For parents of the immigrant families, adult orientation courses have been run by non-profit making voluntary agencies with Government subvention since 1981. A sum of $0.27 million has been earmarked in 1995/96 for such courses.
On the welfare side, the Hong Kong Branch of the International Social Service, a subvented agency, provides post-migration programmes to help new immigrants from China settle down in Hong Kong. Orientation sessions, language and tutorial classes, and referral services are provided. In this financial year, $1.17 million was granted to the agency for this purpose. The Social Welfare Department has also secured another premises for the agency to expand its post-migration service in 1996. Besides, new immigrants from China who are in need can also use the counselling and family support services provided by the 62 family services centres in Hong Kong to seek assistance.
End/Wednesday, July 5, 1995