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The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said today (January 17) that funding for rehabilitation services in 2007-08 was $16.7 billion, representing 7% of the total recurrent expenditure of the Government.
"Of this, more than $350 million was for the provision of 5,496 pre-school service places for children up to 6 years of age and with special rehabilitation needs," he said.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Heep Hong Society Yu Ming Centre in Tseung Kwan O, Mr Cheung said that the Government had been increasing the annual funding for provision of additional pre-school service places for disabled children in recent years.
The opening of the Yu Ming Centre, which offers 94 pre-school service places for disabled children in East Kowloon, is one of the examples of the Government's efforts in honouring its pledge.
Mr Cheung said that early training and support was vital in enhancing disabled children's development to facilitate their social participation and integration into the mainstream education system and society.
"In view of the growing demand for special education, we have been increasing the pre-school service places annually in past years and plan to offer more places in the next financial year to help disabled children enhance their capability," Mr Cheung said.
As at November last year, there were 2,668 people on the waiting list for pre-school service and the average waiting time ranged from eight to 12 months. Mr Cheung stressed that the Government would make better use of resources to shorten the waiting time, so that the children in need could receive support at an earlier stage.
The special child care centres and early education and training centres operated by Heep Hong Society are integrated service centres for disabled children aged up to 6 years. Yu Ming Centre, the fourth service centre for disabled children under Heep Hong Society, is the first mixed-mode pre-school service centre in Tseung Kwan O. The other three centres are in Sham Shui Po, Tung Chung and Tai Wo Hau.
Ends/Saturday, January 17, 2009
Issued at HKT 11:30
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