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Following is a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, to a question by the Hon Wong Sing-chi on the access to computers and the Internet by students from recipient families under the CSSA Scheme in the Legislative Council today (December 17):
Question:
Regarding the access to computers and the Internet by students from recipient families under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance ("CSSA") Scheme, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the respective current numbers of primary and secondary school students from CSSA families, together with a breakdown of such CSSA families by the number of students among their household members;
(b) whether it knows the respective numbers of secondary and primary school students from CSSA families who have computers at home and have subscribed to Internet access services; and
(c) of the current measures in place to assist secondary and primary school students from CSSA families with no computer at home in gaining access to computers and the Internet so as to meet their study needs; whether it will consider providing allowances to CSSA families with household members who are primary and secondary school students for the purchase of computers and payment of service charges for Internet access; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme, whilst seeking to meet the basic needs of those who cannot support themselves financially, takes special care of children through the provision of higher standard rates and various special grants. The existing standard rates for CSSA able-bodied children range from $1,390 to $2,100 per month, which are $135 to $350 higher than those for able-bodied adults. The standard rates for CSSA disabled children are even higher, ranging from $2,435 to $4,525 per month, which are $535 to $695 higher than those for disabled adults.
CSSA children attending schools are entitled to a full range of special grants to meet their educational expenses such as school fees, meal allowance, fares to and from school and examination fees for the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination and Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination. In addition, all CSSA children receiving pre-primary to upper secondary education are entitled to a grant ranging from $1,245 to $3,810 before the start of a school year to cover expenses of books, stationery, school uniforms, and miscellaneous and related expenses.
My replies to the specific questions are as follows:
(a) As at mid-2008, the number of CSSA children attending primary/secondary day school and the number of CSSA cases by the number of CSSA children attending primary/secondary day school in recipient families are set out at Annex.
(b) The Social Welfare Department does not maintain a record of the number of primary and secondary school students from CSSA families who have computers at home and have subscribed to Internet access services.
(c) The CSSA Scheme mainly aims at helping recipients meet their basic daily needs. At present, the average CSSA monthly payment for a 4-person CSSA family without any income is $9,480, which is higher than the average monthly income of a 4-person non-CSSA family in the lowest 20% income group. In addition, CSSA families can flexibly use the CSSA standard rate payments to meet different expenses according to their own circumstances and needs.
In addition, the Education Bureau (EDB) has granted recurrent subsidy to all primary and secondary schools since the 1999/2000 school year to encourage them to open computer rooms and facilities for the use of needy students after school.
Free computers and Internet facilities are also available to students at youth centres, community centres and public libraries across the territory.
In the 2005/06 and 2006/07 school years, EDB collaborated with the Hong Kong Council of Social Service to implement the Computer Recycling Scheme to provide students of Primary One to Form Seven who are in financial difficulties with refurbished computers and 12-month free Internet access service to facilitate their e-learning at home. About 10,000 students benefited from the Scheme.
EDB has now partnered with the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to launch the Computer Recycling Programme in the 2008/09 and 2009/10 school years. Under this Programme, EPD will assist the provision of refurbished computers to needy students (including those from CSSA families) while EDB will arrange a one-year free Internet access service to them. In addition, after the initial year of free service, the designated Internet service provider will continue to offer a favourable Internet access service plan for the beneficiaries. The Programme is tentatively scheduled to commence in early 2009 and the details will be released in due course.
Ends/Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Issued at HKT 11:51
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