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The Government has called on the public to submit views on how to improve the operation of the non-means-tested loan schemes as the first phase of public consultation would end on June 15. For the convenience of the public, the Government launched a new platform on Yahoo!HK today (May 31) to facilitate them to give views on the schemes.
Starting from today to June 15, the public can access the webpage on Yahoo!HK (hk.campaign.news.yahoo.com/sfaa/) for details relating to the non-means-tested loan schemes and give their views and comments. Similar information has earlier been uploaded onto the dedicated webpage under the "Education and Training" cluster of GovHK portal (www.gov.hk/en/residents/education/financialassistance/postsecondary/nlsreview.htm) and the website of the Student Financial Assistance Agency (SFAA) (www.sfaa.gov.hk).
At present, SFAA administers three non-means-tested loan schemes for full-time tertiary students pursuing publicly-funded programmes, full-time students pursuing self-financing and locally-accredited post-secondary programmes and students pursuing continuing education programmes.
The review, covering the scope, eligibility criteria, application procedures, interest rate, repayment arrangements, as well as measures to address the default situation, will be conducted in two phases. The first phase of the review to collect public views has commenced on March 15 and would last for three months.
"We will continue to make use of on-line platform to consult the public on proposals to improve the loan schemes under phase two of the review," a Government spokesman said.
Apart from on-line platform, members of the public and stakeholders can also send in their views on or before June 15 by:
Post: NLS Review Team, Non-means-tested Loan Scheme Section, Student Financial Assistance Agency, 12/F Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon
Fax: 2110 4716
Email: nlsreview@sfaa.gov.hk
Ends/Monday, May 31, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:22
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