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The Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) says its major service centres that provide services directly to the public will remain open on Saturdays after the introduction of the five-day week on July 1.
An EMB spokesman said today (June 14) that these centres consisted of regional offices, the Hong Kong Teachers' Centre and those catering to students/parents in receipt of special services, such as gifted education, educational psychology and speech therapy.
For details of the opening hours of EMB's service centres on Saturdays, please check the bureau's website at http://www.emb.gov.hk.
Members of the public are welcome to make use of the bureau's 24-hour hotline (2891 0088) for enquiries while the Teachers' Helpline, 2892 6600 (five lines) will continue to operate from 8am to 8pm daily.
Starting on July 1, all other sections/offices/units of EMB will move to the five-day week with opening hours from 8.30am to 6pm from Monday to Friday.
The current opening hours for government schools will not be changed.
"We will continue to monitor the patronage of our service centres on Saturdays in consultation with our stakeholders to consider if some of them can switch to the five-day week at a later stage," the spokesman said.
Under the five-day week arrangements, the Student Financial Assistance Agency will be open from 8.45am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5.45pm from Monday to Friday. Students and parents are also welcome to make use of the Agency's 24-hour automated enquiry hotline (2802 2345). Please see details at http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/.
Ends/Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:00
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