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A spokesman for the Education Bureau (EDB) noted that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Legislative Council held a meeting today (November 24) and was of the view that the EDB should disclose the information relating to all the Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) schools covered in the Director of Audit's Report.
The spokesman said the EDB will act accordingly.
The PAC sent a letter to the EDB last week asking the bureau to provide information on the names and respective irregularities of the four DSS schools which were visited by the Audit Commission and reported in Chapters 1 and 2 of the Audit Report to have irregularities.
"In a reply letter to the PAC yesterday (November 23), the EDB has pointed out the agreement between the PAC and the Administration that 'during the period between the tabling of the report in the Legislative Council and the public hearings, any public debate on the issues to be further investigated should be avoided by both sides as far as possible so as to ensure that the PAC can carry out public hearing smoothly and in a fair manner and that we should refrain from initiating any publicity to counter the Audit findings.'"
"As the Audit Report involved not only the four schools visited by the Audit Commission but also all DSS schools in general, we have provided the PAC with the names of all DSS schools having irregularities covered in the Report for internal reference. We hope this would ensure a smooth and fair public hearing by the PAC."
"As the PAC still holds the view that the information should be disclosed to the public after taking into account the above considerations, the Education Bureau will release the information to the public accordingly," the spokesman said.
Ends/Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Issued at HKT 21:49
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