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The Education (Exemption) (Private Schools Offering Non-formal Curriculum) Order will come into operation on July 1, 2004.

"To cater for the needs of the changing social environment and members of the public, the Exemption Order is to exempt private schools offering non-formal curriculum (PSNFCs) from certain requirements stipulated in the Education Ordinance subject to their compliance with specified conditions," an Education and Manpower Bureau spokesman said today (June 30).

"PSNFCs refer to private schools offering educational courses such as tutorial, commercial, language and computer courses. The exemptions are related to the categories of holidays, hours of instruction and administrative procedures for processing fee collection and employment of teachers and principals."

In support of adults pursuing life-long learning and students taking part in diversified learning programmes, the limit of the hours of instruction for exempted PSNFCs will be relaxed beyond 9.30pm. The schools will also be exempted from restrictions on holidays.

The Exemption Order, while protecting the interests of learners, will waive a number of administrative procedures for exempted PSNFCs. The spokesman stressed that the Government had retained the provisions on school registration and safety requirements to ensure safety of students, and on registration of supervisors and managers to ensure proper management.

"On fee collection, exempted PSNFCs will be exempt from seeking approval provided that, among other conditions, the course fee is collected on an equal monthly basis. Applications for employing permitted teachers, except for those supervising practical experiments and activities or teaching physical education, and for appointing a teacher as the principal will also be waived.

"However, if an exempted PSNFC fails to comply with any conditions of a particular category specified in the Exemption Order, it is not entitled to the exemptions granted under the category concerned. In that case, the PSNFC is then obliged to comply with those exempt provisions of that particular category. Otherwise, it may be prosecuted or have the registration of the managers or school cancelled," the spokesman stressed.

For details of the Exemption Order, please visit the EMB website (http://www.emb.gov.hk).

The spokesman reminded parents and students to note the following when choosing PSNFCs:

* To choose PSNFCs which are registered or provisionally registered with EMB;

* To read carefully the information contained in the course leaflet provided by a school before enrolling for a course;

* To pay attention to the course fees information;

* To pay course fees on a monthly basis;

* To retain the formal receipt;

* To select a school with safe learning environment; and

* To choose the appropriate course date and time.

Ends/Wednesday, June 30, 2004

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