Mrs Chan suggested that schools should try to identify the at-risk groups with the assistance of the community, including parents.
"The Education Department will provide guidance and advice to schools whenever possible," she said.
End
Fund for elderly services invites applications
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) wishing to plan and organise non- profit making self-financing welfare services for the elderly are invited to apply financial assistance from the Social Welfare Department.
"A sum of $200 million from the Lotteries Fund has been earmarked as an Elderly Services Development Fund to finance such projects," a department spokesman said today (Saturday).
In November 1993, the Governor appointed a Working Group on Care for the Elderly to conduct a general review of services for old people and to formulate proposals on the objectives and future development of such services.
Among the 71 recommendations of the Working Group, an Elderly Services Development Fund was proposed to provide grants to NGOs to help them introduce non-profit making self-financing welfare services for elderly persons of the "sandwich class".
"Many middle-class families are at present left out of the welfare services delivery system because priority is always given to low-income families and clients.
"To fill the service gap, the Working Group recommended that NGOs should be encouraged to operate services on a self-financing basis for the sandwich class who could afford to pay the services at reasonable rates," the spokesman said.
He said the Fund aimed at providing financial assistance, in the initial stage, to NGOs for providing new and innovative services for elderly persons and the level of support would be considered on individual merits of each
application.
"In general, capital grants will be provided up to 80 percent of the approved capital costs.