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In response to the petition today (July 30) by an organisation on the school leaving arrangements for students studying in schools for children with intellectual disability (ID schools), an Education Bureau (EDB) spokesman responded as follows:
"EDB well understands the concerns of parents and the community about the education received by ID students. Students are allowed to extend their stay if they have had prolonged absence from school due to health or other valid reasons. Schools can also accommodate individual students by making use of the vacancies under the approved class organization provided that the admission of school-age children is not affected. Such arrangement has been implemented for years.
As at the end of June 2009, there were 360 applications from special schools for extension of stay, including 302 applications from ID schools. EDB has approved 294 of them (including 244 from ID schools), representing over 80% of the total number of applications.
As a matter of fact, the number of applications EDB received in this school year from ID schools is higher than those received in the past few years (2003/04: 45 applications; 2004/05: 49 applications; 2005/06: 44 applications; 2006/07: 99 applications; 2007/08: 198 applications). EDB has approved extension of stay for individual students by making the greatest use of the vacancies in the approved classes. Most of the schools have all of their applications approved. As for the remaining 12 schools, the number of applications exceeds the number of vacancies. EDB has invited these schools to provide their professional views and recommend a list of students for extension of stay based on the students' circumstances. EDB will make further consideration for approval.
We will continue to listen to views of various stakeholders".
Ends/Thursday, July 30, 2009
Issued at HKT 19:56
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