LCQ12: Supply of and demand for school places in the Islands District
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     Following is a question by the Hon Leung Yiu-chung and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, in the Legislative Council today (July 9):

Question:

     It is learnt that the population of the Islands District (including Lantau Island, Lamma Island, Cheung Chau, Ping Chau, etc.) has been increasing in recent years, which has resulted in a shortfall of school places in the kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools in the District.  As a result, quite a number of students residing in the Islands District have to travel to other districts to attend schools.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) in each of the past five years, of the respective numbers and rates of increase of students in the Islands District who were of the respective ages for attending kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, as well as the number and percentage of such students attending schools in the school net to which their places of residence belonged;

(2) given that some students residing in the Islands District have to travel to the urban areas for attending schools every day, whether the authorities have assessed the impacts of leaving home early, coming home late and travelling long distance, on the learning and daily lives of these students; if they have assessed, of the outcome and relevant statistics, and whether they have taken any follow-up actions (including exploring improvement measures); if they have not made any assessment, the reasons for that; and

(3) given that the former New Territories Heung Yee Kuk Southern District Secondary School situated in Mui Wo has ceased operation for a number of years, whether the authorities will re-allocate the school premises for school use; if they will, of the relevant plan and timetable; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Regarding the supply of and demand for school places in the Islands District, our response to the Hon Leung is as follows:

(1) Based on the results of the 2006 Population By-census and the 2011 Population Census, figures on persons of ages considered suitable for receiving kindergarten (KG), primary and secondary education respectively who were residing in the Islands District Council (DC) District are given in Table 1, whereas figures on students who were residing and studying in the Islands DC District by levels of education are given in Table 2.  We do not have the respective figures in each of the past five years.  

(2)  The provision of public sector primary and secondary school places of the Islands DC District is expected to be sufficient to meet the demand in the past as well as the coming few years. As regards school choice, the Education Bureau (EDB) encourages parents to make school choice based on their childrenˇ¦s needs, aspirations and expectations. With the development of our society and the enhanced transport network in recent years, proximity of the place of residence to a school is no longer the primary consideration or sole concern of all parents of applicant children. The educational philosophy and characteristics in curriculum of individual schools are also parentsˇ¦ major considerations. For the purpose of balancing and catering for the concerns and needs of different stakeholders as far as possible, parents are allowed to choose any school(s) at the Discretionary Places Stage and in the part for Unrestricted School Choices at the Central Allocation Stage, and to choose any school(s) in the school net to which an applicant student belongs through the relevant part of school choice for Central Allocation with demarcation of school nets based on the district administration boundaries, under the prevailing Primary One Admission System and Secondary School Places Allocation System. In light of the foregoing, we have not conducted any study on the impact of cross-net schooling.

(3) EDB has an established mechanism on handling vacant school premises.  We will consider if the size, location and physical conditions of the premises would render it suitable for re-allocation for school or other educational uses.  As regards the use of vacant school premises for meeting the demand for public sector primary and secondary school places, EDB has been monitoring closely the educational needs of students and the supply of and demand for school places so as to ensure the provision of sufficient public sector school places. In the past as well as in the coming few years, the supply of public sector primary and secondary school places in the Islands DC District has been/is projected to be sufficient to meet the demand. Having regard to the projected supply of and demand for public sector school places in the District and having assessed the suitability of the former New Territories Heung Yee Kuk Southern District Secondary School premises for further school or other educational use, EDB has informed the Planning Department and returned the premises to the relevant departments (such as Lands Department) for consideration of alternative uses in accordance with the prevailing established arrangement.

Ends/Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Issued at HKT 13:00

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