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"This conference which is the culmination of Phase A of the review is to enable the consultants to brief NGOs on their findings during the past four months and to explain their vision about our future subvention system.

"It is also a springboard to set in motion a consultation process which will last six weeks to collect feedback from NGOs on the consultants' framework proposals," Mr Strachan said.

At the conference today, representatives were briefed on the framework proposals by the consultants including the introduction of formal funding and service arrangements between the SWD and NGO administrators, the development of a simplified funding process to underpin the system, and the establishment of a set of performance measures covering both quantitative and qualitative outputs.

Mr Strachan assured the representatives attending the conference that the Administration had not taken any decision on these proposals and would like to hear the views of the social welfare sector first, particularly on the various funding options identified by the consultants.

"During Phase B, the consultants will have to conduct further evaluation of these options, having regard to the feedback received, but no matter what consensus we finally reach on the preferred funding solution. I am confident that it will represent a considerable improvement on the current arrangements," he added.

End/Wednesday, July 5, 1995

Applications invited for Language Fund

Organisations, individuals and schools wishing to undertake projects or activities to improve language standards in Hong Kong are invited to apply for the Language Fund.

The Language Fund was set up in May 1994. It is a trust fund held under the Director of Education Incorporation Ordinance with an initial allocation of $300 million.

The main objective of the Fund is to support proposals and initiatives which will raise the standards in Chinese (including Putonghua) and English, enhance In existing efforts and meet temporary shortfalls in language teaching resources. addition, the Language Fund will encourage research into problem areas and initiation of new approaches.

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