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Concerted efforts of tertiary institutions, primary and secondary schools, non-government organisations (NGO) and groups concerning the provision of support services for newly arrived children (NAC) are necessary to assist NAC in adapting to the local community and education system, the Director of Education, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said.
Speaking at a seminar on education and support services for NAC today (October 13), Mr Cheung said that there were 14 000 NAC admitted to local schools last year and there would be some 15 700 students arriving in each of the next few years, amounting to 1.5 to 2 per cent of the primary and secondary school students in Hong Kong.
"To assist NAC in resolving difficulties encountered in adaptation, the ED has been subventing NGO to run the 60-hour long Induction Programme for free since April 1995. The programme intends to help them integrate and adapt to the local community and education system more quickly," he said.
"About 58 000 NAC have participated in this programme since 1995. In this financial year, the estimated expenditure on this area is $13.6 million.
"The ED also maintains close liaison with schools, NGO and tertiary institutions to gauge and adopt their opinions with a view to strengthening the services," he added.
In September 1997, the School-based Support Scheme was introduced to provide grants to schools admitting NAC for offering various support services. Some 46 000 students have benefited from the scheme since its inception. The estimated expenditure on the scheme is $35.7 million in this financial year.
Starting from 2000, the ED provides the full-time and integrated Initiation Programme for NAC. This programme aims at enhancing the English standard of NAC, fostering social adaptation and providing classroom learning experience.
NAC can choose to join the half-year programme upon their arrival. On completing of the programme, the ED will provide placement services to help them enroll in appropriate primary and secondary schools.
At present, there are three schools running the Initiation Programme. The ED is planning to set up another two to serve NAC in the North and Yuen Long districts in February 2002. A total of 830 students have participated in the programme since its introduction. In this financial year, the expenditure is estimated to be $11 million.
"We will continue to cooperate with voluntary organisations by sending staff to give pre-arrival talks to children and their parents on the Hong Kong education system. To enhance publicity, a video is shown to new arrivals at the Lo Wu checkpoint. Radio announcements in Cantonese and Putonghua are also broadcast to brief them on local education services. Placement services are provided for NAC, who intend to enroll in local schools, as soon as possible," Mr Cheung added.
The seminar on education and support services for NAC, organised by the ED, aimed at providing an opportunity for teachers, social workers, schools, NGOs and academics to share and exchange their valuable experience so as to further enhance the services.
Also speaking at the seminar were the Principal of Holy Carpenter Primary School, Mr Yue Yun-fai; the Director of Programme (Post-migration Service for New Arrivals), International Social Service, Hong Kong Branch, Ms Iris Liu Kam-fung; and Lecturer of the Department of Educational Policy and Administration, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Dr Celeste Yuen.
End/Saturday, October 13, 2001
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