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Following is the transcript of remarks (English portion) made by the Secretary for Education, Mr Michael Suen, at a media session after attending a signing ceremony by seven secondary schools in Tai Po District pledging to participate in the Voluntary Optimisation of Class Structure Scheme in the 2011/12 school year today (November 4):
Reporter: What kind of incentives will you give to encourage more schools to take part?
Secretary for Education: The incentive we are talking about is in terms of a scheme, which is applicable to all schools in Hong Kong. But I am very glad that in Tai Po, we have got seven schools that are taking the initiative of coming out in the open, and saying they openly support this scheme. I think we have just heard from Principal Kwok their own version of why they think that the present scheme is beneficial to the schools. I think I won't repeat what the principal has just said.
Reporter: There are about 20 schools in Tai Po, only seven schools have promised to join this scheme ...
Secretary for Education: This is only the initial stage. Don't forget that we are only talking about schools which are having five classes in the same level. There are schools which don't come into this category, so seven out of twelve. We are hoping that the other schools are taking an active step to consider whether they are joining or not. I hope that, within the near future, we will have something important to announce.
Reporter: Will government schools take the lead to join?
Secretary for Education: We are the sponsor of government schools. We have decided indeed to participate in this scheme, but there are some procedural steps which we will have to complete before we can join the scheme. Hopefully, we will be able to clear all the hurdles within one or two weeks.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Thursday, November 4, 2010
Issued at HKT 18:15
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