************************************************************
Following is a question by Hon Leung Kwok-hung and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, in the Legislative Council today (April 24):
Question:
Quite a number of members of the public and trainees under the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme and Youth Work Experience and Training Scheme (the Scheme) of the Labour Department (LD) have relayed to me that, owing to LD's inadequate monitoring of those organisations (training bodies) appointed for providing the training programmes under the Scheme (training programmes), public money has not been put to optimal use. However, when problems concerning the training programmes arise, front-line social workers as the case managers often become the scapegoats and the trainees, the victims. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the training bodies appointed by the Government since 2009, and set out the details of the training programmes provided as well as the amount of funding received by each training body in table 1;
(b) whether, in appointing the training bodies, the Government has imposed strict requirements on: (i) the number of supervisory social workers or supervisors (supervisory staff) to be included in the training programmes; if it has, of the details; and (ii) regular inspections of the training programmes to be conducted by the supervisory staff; if it has, of the frequency of such inspections and the number of hours for each inspection required, as well as whether the supervisory staff are required to record each of their inspections on a log book to facilitate the Government's scrutiny; if there is no requirement for regular inspections, whether the supervisory staff monitor the programmes merely by reading in the office the reports submitted by front-line social workers;
(c) whether the Government has deployed staff to regularly inspect each training programme after appointing the training bodies; if it has, of the frequency of such inspections and the number of hours for each inspection; if not, whether the Government monitors the actual situations and results of the programmes merely by reading in the office the reports submitted by the training bodies;
(d) whether the Government has uncovered any problems in the training programmes (eg failing to complete the programme as planned) since 2009; if so, of the number of programmes and names of the training bodies concerned, whether the Government has investigated the causes of the problems in each case, whether it has held the relevant training bodies or supervisory staff responsible for the improper monitoring and imposed penalties on them, or whether it has merely requested or allowed such training bodies to name a front-line social worker as the scapegoat without holding the relevant training bodies or supervisory staff responsible for the improper monitoring;
(e) when the training bodies have to submit reports on the training programmes to the Government according to the contract of appointment with the Government; and
(f) of the number of training bodies to be appointed by the Government in 2013-2014 to run the training programmes, and set out the details of such programmes in table 2?
Reply:
President,
My reply to the question raised by the Hon Leung Kwok-hung is as follows:
(a) The Scheme of LD operates on the basis of Programme Year, running from September each year to August of the following year. Each year, we appoint training bodies to offer trainees courses on job search and interpersonal skills, discipline and motivation, computer application and job-specific skills. For the 2012-13 programme year, over 50 training bodies (including non-governmental organisations and training institutes) were appointed.
Depending on the training contents and requirements of trainees/employers, the training hours of courses vary and may be broadly grouped by category as below:
Course type Training hours
----------- --------------
Job-search and 48 hours
interpersonal skills
Discipline and motivation 80 hours
Computer application 48-80 hours
Job-specific skills Around 100-180 hours
Others Below 180 hours
We provide at Appendix the amount of payment to training bodies for courses launched in the 2009/10 to 2011/12 programme years. As the 2012/13 programme will only end in August 2013, the figures are not available.
We have not kept information on actual number of training sessions, original number of training sessions and name of the collaborating school. We also do not require our training bodies to provide number of supervisory social workers or supervisors and number of front-line social workers for the training courses.
(b) As stipulated in the appointment letters to the Scheme's training bodies, they are obliged to safeguard the quality of the training courses. They must provide training courses in accordance with the commitment made in the approved training proposals, including trainers' qualification, trainer-trainee ratio, training hours, training venue and facilities and course content etc.
LD will monitor the quality of the training courses through a series of measures. On the other hand, the training bodies should ensure compliance with the standard set by LD through their internal monitoring mechanism. LD does not prescribe details of the training bodies' monitoring mechanism.
(c) LD monitors the quality of the training courses through various measures, including collecting trainees' opinions on the courses by means of questionnaires, and conducting sample class inspections. In the 2011/12 programme year, a total of 56 inspections of mainstream courses (note) were conducted, including both surprise visits and visits with advance notice. Moreover, 87 inspections of other courses were conducted. The inspections focus on the overall training venue and environment; training materials and facilities; actual delivery of training; and course arrangement etc. The duration of each inspection visit varies.
The Director of Audit has made recommendations on our class inspection in its Report No. 59. LD will take out a series of improvement measures to enhance the quality assurance mechanism on training courses, including a review of the strategy and overall arrangement related to training course inspections. Starting from January 2013, officers inspect in a single visit all training courses held at the same training venue as far as practicable and training bodies are requested to produce documentary proof of trainers' qualifications for verification during inspections.
Other than onsite inspections, we conduct sample telephone survey to ascertain the accuracy of the attendance records submitted by the training bodies. Besides, when evaluating training bodies' performance in the procurement exercise, we will take into account trainees¡¦ attendance and scoring in course evaluation survey in future.
Trainees can reflect their views about the training courses in person or through their case managers by means of the Scheme's hotline, chatroom of the Scheme's website, emails or by fax etc. We will follow up and investigate when a complaint on training course is received.
(d) Every year, LD invites interested training bodies to submit proposals on the Scheme's training courses. The Vetting Committee will evaluate the proposals in terms of price and technical factors and appoint suitable training bodies to provide training courses for the Scheme which enrols trainees round the year. To ensure provision of a wide choice of courses to trainees and sufficient training places throughout the year, LD will make estimation of training courses required with the training bodies before the commencement of the Programme Year. Nevertheless, whether the courses may subsequently be launched depends on the actual enrolment situation and trainees' choices. We do not have information on the number of courses not launched.
In appointing the training bodies, LD has clearly stated in the appointment letters that the training bodies are obliged to comply with all administrative requirements stipulated in the Training Bodies Manual. They are responsible for safeguarding the quality of the training courses and providing training courses in accordance with the commitment made in the training proposals. LD takes a serious view on cases in which training body delivers sub-standard courses or commits breaches of terms and conditions. LD will investigate on each case and issue advice or warning and ensure rectification by the training body. For very serious breaches, LD may consider termination of contract. From the 2009/10 programme year onwards, LD has issued nine written advice/warnings to five training bodies consequent to breaches detected in courses, including not complying with administrative procedures, providing unqualified trainer and not enrolling trainees according to requirements. We have taken appropriate follow-up actions on all cases and the irregularities have been rectified.
(e) According to the Scheme's Training Bodies Manual, training bodies are required to submit the attendance records online within one week after the completion of the training. They are also required to submit other reports including the summary of course evaluation questionnaires and the original course evaluation questionnaires etc. within two weeks after the completion of the training.
(f) As we are still working on courses to be procured for the 2013/14 programme year, we do not have the requested information.
Note: Mainstream courses include job-search and interpersonal skills, discipline and motivation, computer application and job-specific skills training.
Ends/Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Issued at HKT 19:02
NNNN
