TNAG-1363-FCO40-1809-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 218

Question No. 11

Reply by the Hon. Li Yuet-ting, JP, Acting Director of Education, to a Legislative Council Question by the Hon. YEUNG Po-kwan, CPM,

on 7 August 1985

Question

?

I

> Can the Government" make a statement to»:

confirm that its decision to reduce

dak administration grants tonaided schools: for the employment of janitors will not Jous Bernaffect the smooth operation of such schools

and that the granting of severance pay to ́ ́the redundant workers will not have any

adverse impact on the financial position

· of these:schools?a mi thai de te

Sir,

DOL

.i.

I confirm that the reduction in the Administration Grant

should not adversely affect the operation of the schools concerned.

The revised rates of grant have been calculated following a

detailed study of the janitor and cleaning services in government

schools on which the grant is based. While there might be some

small differences among the government schools and between aided

schools and government schools, these are not such as to justify

a different basis for the calculation of the grant. However,

there is in the aided sector a small number of schools with

additional, non-standard teaching areas and I have made proposals

to the three aided secondary school councils which would permit

some enhancement of the grants to these schools to meet their

special needs. I am awaiting the views of the councils on my

proposals.

The award of severance pay to janitor staff can be

charged to the Administration Grant. Given that almost all of

the schools concerned have accumulated surpluses (many of them

up to the permitted 3-month limit), that the reduction is being

phased in over three years and that the severance payment is

/reduced