Judy Cui
The Education Bureau will discontinue the HK$2,500 student grant for secondary day-school, primary school, and kindergarten students starting in the next school year, Paul Chan said.
This move is expected to save around HK$2 billion.
Students in need of financial assistance can apply for support through various subsidy programs that require income and asset assessments.
This change is in line with the SAR administration’s targeted poverty alleviation policy.
Also, a task force made up of bureau members and representatives from the sector will be formed to oversee the consolidation of different subsidy programs, with member selection expected to be finalized by April.
It will explore potential adjustments to subsidies for primary and secondary schools with the aim of creating a more flexible disbursement system based on developmental priorities.
Certain programs, such as the Life-wide Learning and Sister School Grant, will be merged to enhance flexibility and resource utilization.
And general funding for public schools and kindergartens is projected to decrease by 2 percent this school year.
Chan also said HK$68.1 billion would be provided to the University Grants Committee-funded universities in the coming three years.
”This funding reflects a 2 percent reduction target each year, which is in line with the magnitude of the recurrent expenditure cut. I must stress this funding level is still higher than the HK$63.2 billion in the last triennium,” he said.
The University Grants Committee also said yesterday the eight universities will return HK$4 billion from balances in their general and development reserve fund on a one-off basis in 2025-26.
”Together with savings of HK$1.2 billion following the increase in tuition fee levels in the 2025-28 triennium, such measures will yield benefits worth HK$8 billion to public coffer,” it said.
