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Following is a question by the Hon Kwok Wai-keung and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, in the Legislative Council today (June 24):
Question:
With regard to the development of vocational education in Hong Kong, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) how the total public expenditure on the area of vocational education and its percentage in the total expenditure on the area of education in each of the past five years compare with the relevant figures for the area of formal education;
(2) of the amount of each expenditure item under the area of vocational education and its percentage in the total expenditure on this area, in each of the past five years; and
(3) whether it has any plan to comprehensively review the existing policy on and implementation of vocational education (including whether it is necessary to increase the allocation of funding and other resources, so as to perfect and promote various related programmes); if it does, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Vocational education plays a pivotal role in providing flexible and diversified study pathways for secondary school leavers and in-service personnel as well as nurturing the requisite human capital in support of the development of Hong Kong. In the 2014 Policy Address, the Chief Executive emphasised the importance of vocational education and announced a series of measures to support its development. My reply to the various parts of the question is as follows.
(1) The Vocational Training Council (VTC) is a statutory body established under the Vocational Training Council Ordinance (Cap 1130) in Hong Kong. With funding from the Education Bureau (EDB) and the Labour and Welfare Bureau, VTC provides vocational education and training courses to about 250 000 students and in-service personnel each year. However, the provision of vocational education is not confined to education offered by VTC. Some of the programmes offered by a number of other training institutions and local post-secondary education institutions also carry a large proportion of specialised contents covering vocational skills or professional knowledge.
The Government's expenditure on various education areas and their respective percentage shares in the total expenditure of education in each of the past five financial years are set out in Annex 1. Among others, "Vocational Education" only covers provisions to VTC and related student financial assistance schemes administered by the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency (WFSFAA).
It should be noted that the expenditure on "Post-secondary Education" covers funding for the University Grants Committee-funded institutions as well as provisions for various support measures for the entire post-secondary sector (including both the publicly-funded and self-financing sectors). As mentioned above, some of the programmes offered by local post-secondary education institutions also carry a large proportion of specialised contents covering vocational skills or professional knowledge.
(2) The amount of each expenditure item under "Vocational Education" (covering only provisions to VTC and related student financial assistance schemes administered by WFSFAA) and their respective percentage shares in the total expenditure on this area in each of the past five financial years are set out in Annex 2.
(3) The Chief Executive announced in the 2014 Policy Address a number of measures to strengthen vocational education. As one of the measures, the Task Force on Promotion of Vocational Education was set up in June 2014 with a view to mapping out a strategy to promote vocational education and raise public awareness of vocational education and recognition of its value. The Task Force will submit a report to the Secretary for Education by mid-2015. The Government will then consider the recommendations set out in the report for more effective promotion of vocational education in Hong Kong. The implementation of other initiatives is summed up as follows:
(a) Pilot Training and Support Scheme: With the approval of the Legislative Council Finance Committee (FC) in July 2014 for a commitment of $144 million, VTC has implemented the Pilot Training and Support Scheme, which aims to integrate structured apprenticeship training programmes and clear career progression pathways to attract and retain talents for specific industries with a keen demand for labour. The Scheme will benefit 2 000 students;
(b) Industrial Attachment: Starting from the 2014/15 academic year, the Government has allocated recurrent funding of about $18 million to VTC to provide industrial attachment opportunities for about 9 000 students mainly studying Higher Diploma programmes and certain Diploma in Vocational Education programmes each year to enhance students' employability;
(c) VTC has been invited to draw up a strategic development plan for its campuses to foster synergy and provide state-of-the-art facilities pivotal to enhancing the image and quality of vocational education;
(d) Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professions/ Sectors: With the approval of FC in July 2014 for a commitment of some $960 million, the Government will, starting from the 2015/16 academic year, subsidise about 1 000 students per cohort to pursue designated full-time locally-accredited self-financing undergraduate programmes in selected disciplines to nurture talents to meet Hong Kong's social and economic needs. The Subsidy Scheme will be implemented on a pilot basis for three cohorts of students, and then subject to a review on its effectiveness; and
(e) Qualifications Framework (QF) Fund: The QF Fund of $1 billion was established on September 1, 2014 to provide a steady source of income to support the sustainable development and implementation of QF. The QF Fund will further encourage relevant stakeholders to participate in QF, thereby underpinning the development of vocational education, alongside academic and continuing education.
In addition, starting from the 2014/15 academic year, a recurrent cash grant of about $500,000 per annum is provided for each public sector school operating classes at senior secondary levels with a view to strengthening the provision of life planning education and career guidance services. Enhancing the provision of life planning education in secondary schools enables students to have a better understanding of vocational education programmes and related industries. EDB will also enhance, reinforce and review the Business-School Partnership Programme in the three years starting from the 2015/16 school year, and strengthen partnership between business organisations and schools with a view to enriching students' understanding of different trades and preparing them for employment in the future through a variety of activities.
Ends/Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:10
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