The Education Bureau (EDB) today (January 8) issued a circular memorandum to all secondary day-schools, primary schools and kindergartens, announcing the arrangements for the provision of the Student Grant to day-school students in the 2019/20 school year.
 
　　An EDB spokesman said, "As part of the $19.1 billion relief measures announced by the Financial Secretary in August 2019, a one-off student grant of $2,500 for secondary day-school, primary school and kindergarten students will be provided in the 2019/20 school year to alleviate parents' financial burden in defraying education expenses. The provision was approved by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council on December 6, 2019. It is estimated to benefit about 900 000 students in Hong Kong."
 
　　The student grant is non-means-tested. All students who, as at the date of application, study in secondary day-schools, primary schools and special schools (including public sector schools, Direct Subsidy Scheme schools, English Schools Foundation schools and private schools) as well as kindergartens (whether having joined the kindergarten education scheme or not) offering local or non-local curriculums in Hong Kong, are eligible for the grant. Students of evening schools, students of private studies, holders of student visas for entry into Hong Kong for studies and holders of a Form of Recognizance issued by the Immigration Department are ineligible.
 
　　The spokesman continued, "Taking into account that there are some students who should meet the aforementioned eligibility criteria but attend other programmes owing to special circumstances, we also deem the following students eligible for the grant: (a) children at the age of two years and eight months or above as at September 1 of the school year concerned attending Special Child Care Centres (SCCCs) subsidised by the Social Welfare Department owing to special needs; (b) newly arrived children attending the full-time Initiation Programme funded by the EDB; and (c) students taking full-time programmes for Secondary 3 school leavers offered by the Vocational Training Council (VTC). We will issue letters to relevant organisations and institutions today to inform them of the details."
 
　　The spokesman said, "Schools can collect the application forms at the respective Regional Education Offices from tomorrow (January 9), while SCCCs and the VTC can collect the application forms at the EDB's Special Duties Office. After parents have duly completed the application forms, schools have to verify the student status and submit them to the EDB on or before February 14. Applicants are not required to provide other documents at this stage. We will make use of internal information to carry out verification as far as possible. Applicants will only be required to provide other documents when necessary. We expect to start disbursing the subsidy in about six weeks after receiving the applications."
 
　　The spokesman added, "As the Chief Executive proposed in the 2019 Policy Address, the provision of the Student Grant will be regularised starting from the 2020/21 school year."

Ends/Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Issued at HKT 16:05

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