The Education Bureau (EDB) today (September 29) issued a circular memorandum to all secondary day schools, primary schools, special schools and kindergartens in Hong Kong, announcing the arrangements for the provision of a student grant to day-school students in the 2020/21 school year.
An EDB spokesman said, "The Government provided a one-off student grant for secondary day-school, primary school and kindergarten students in the 2019/20 school year to alleviate parents' financial burden. The provision of the student grant of $2,500 will be regularised starting from the 2020/21 school year."
The student grant is non-means-tested. All students, as at the date of application, studying in secondary day schools, primary schools and special schools (including public sector schools, Direct Subsidy Scheme schools, English Schools Foundation schools and private schools) as well as kindergartens (regardless of whether they have joined the kindergarten education scheme) offering local or non-local curriculum in Hong Kong are eligible for the grant. Students of evening schools, students of private studies, holders of student visas for entry into Hong Kong for studies and holders of the Form of Recognizance issued by the Immigration Department are not within the scope of subsidy.
The spokesman continued, "Taking into account that there are some students who should meet the aforementioned eligibility criteria but attend other programmes owing to special circumstances, we also deem the following students as eligible for the grant: (a) children at the age of 2 years and 8 months or above as at September 1 of the school year concerned and attending a Special Child Care Centre (SCCC) subsidised by the Social Welfare Department owing to special needs; (b) newly arrived children attending a full-time Initiation Programme funded by the EDB; and (c) students taking full-time programmes for Secondary Three school leavers offered by the Vocational Training Council (VTC). We will issue letters to relevant organisations and institutions today to inform them of the details."
The spokesman said, "Schools can collect the application forms at the respective Regional Education Offices from September 30, while SCCCs and the VTC can collect the application forms at the EDB's Special Duties Office. Parents are advised to duly complete the application forms and return them to the schools concerned as soon as possible. Schools have to submit the completed forms to the EDB for follow-up on or before November 6. We will handle the applications as soon as possible and disburse the subsidy to parents."
The EDB has announced earlier the enhancement measures to be implemented in the 2020/21 school year to facilitate application by parents and enhance the processing workflow. For the details of the student grant, please visit the EDB website (www.edb.gov.hk/en/student-parents/support-subsidies/student-grant/index.html).
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