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    Following is a question by the Hon Cheung Man-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Professor Arthur K C Li, in the Legislative Council today (June 1):

Question:

    Will the Government inform this Council of the following over the past three years:

(a) the number of dyslexia cases and referrals handled by the Education and Manpower Bureau and the Department of Health each year and, among them, the respective numbers of cases involving children who have difficulties in motor coordination or other coordination difficulties and who are assessed to be gifted children;

(b) whether the authorities set age limits for clients receiving assessment and support services tailor-made for students with dyslexia and difficulties in motor coordination (including counselling, treatment and child assessment services etc); if so, of the reasons for that, and how they dealt with over-aged students requiring the services; if not, whether all students assessed to be in need of the services were provided with such services; and

(c) the annual numbers of cases of suspension of schooling or truancy of students with dyslexia?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) Over the past three years, the number of cases with specific learning difficulties (SpLD) in reading and writing handled by the Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) is 2850. The breakdown of these cases by school year is as follows:

     2001/02     948
     2002/03     980
     2003/04     922
 

    Of these cases, 26 students, i.e. 0.9% were assessed to have Very Superior Intelligence (i.e. with an Intelligence Quotient of 130 or above).

    Over the past three years, the number of new cases of SpLD seen by the Department of Health (DH)'s Child Assessment Service and Student Health Service is 1939. The yearly breakdown of these cases is as follows:

     2002     518
     2003     707
     2004     714
 

    According to DH's data, it is estimated that around 35% of these cases have motor coordination difficulties at the same time and 1% has Very Superior Intelligence (i.e. with an Intelligence Quotient of 130 or above).

(b) EMB provides assessment and support services for ALL students at primary and secondary levels in the public school sector. The Child Assessment Service of DH accepts referrals from doctors for children under 12 years of age with suspected developmental problems. If such cases are identified to have specific learning difficulties, they will be referred to the relevant service providers for follow-up.

(c) Over the past three years, the number of non-attendance cases with SpLD in reading and writing is as follows:

School Year  No of cases   Follow-up
-----------  -----------   ----------
2001/02          0        
2002/03          4         Resumed school after intervention
2003/04          2         Resumed school after intervention

Ends/Wednesday, June 1, 2005

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