The Education Bureau (EDB) announced today (February 21) that in the First School Allocation Exercise (SAE) 2022, two new primary school premises under planning in the North District are open for application by eligible school sponsoring bodies (SSBs) in Hong Kong for reprovisioning of existing aided primary schools, with a view to improving the learning and teaching environment.
 
     The new primary school premises under planning are located at Area 17, Fanling North New Development Area (NDA), and Area 29, Kwu Tung North NDA, respectively. Details of the two premises are set out in the Annex.
 
     A spokesman for the EDB said, "Although a persistent decline in school-age population in Hong Kong is expected in the future, it is still necessary to construct new school premises in the NDAs concerned to meet the demand for school places, and to tie in with the long-term development of the Northern Metropolis. This School Allocation Exercise is open to applications for reprovisioning of schools within the district as well as from other districts, and will be conducted on a competitive basis among SSBs. The School Allocation Committee, which comprises official and non-official members, will assess the relevant applications and make recommendations to the EDB on allocation of school premises.
 
     "Factors to be considered in assessing the applications include the school plan submitted by the SSB, the operation track record of the SSB and the school proposed to be reprovisioned, the district in which the school falls within and the physical condition of the school's existing premises, etc, with quality of education as the prime consideration. In general, applications from schools with a site area smaller than 3 000 square metres and premises older than 30 years, which have not benefited or have only marginally benefited from the School Improvement Programme, warrant serious consideration. Regarding cross-district applications, one of the key considerations is whether the proposed reprovisioning will help improve and balance the demand and supply situation of public sector primary school places among districts," the spokesman continued.
 
     "In line with the established arrangement for reprovisioning, the successful SSB must, upon the school's moving to the new premises, return its existing school premises to the Government. If the school premises locates on a private lot under the ownership of the SSB, the school or a third party related to the SSB/school, the land owner must surrender the site concerned together with the existing school premises to the Government upon the school's moving to the new premises. The EDB will not hand over the new premises to the SSB until the SSB or the land owner activates the aforesaid procedures," the spokesman added.
 
     SSBs are required to complete an application form and submit it together with the required supporting documents, a proposed school plan (of not more than 10 pages including all annexes, plus a two-page executive summary) and a list of their operating school(s). The proposed school plan should cover the vision and mission, management and organisation, learning and teaching, school ethos and support for students, students' performance targets, self-evaluation indicators, etc. The SSB may also make reference to the school(s) that it is operating and their respective performance to substantiate its case.
 
     In line with the EDB's established policy for school allocation, when submitting the application, the SSB must be exempt from tax under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance, and be:
 
(1) incorporated under the Companies Ordinance (the successful SSB would be required to ensure that its articles of association contain all the standard clauses and articles required for allocation of a school premises); or
 
(2) incorporated under other ordinances, with its constitution satisfying the Permanent Secretary for Education as being fit to be considered for allocation of a school premises.
 
     In addition, the SSB must be running one or more aided primary schools in Hong Kong and must be the registered SSB of the applicant school.
 
     The application form for the First SAE 2022 and other reference materials can be downloaded from the EDB homepage (www.edb.gov.hk/en/sch-admin/sch-premises-info/allocation-of-sch/index.html). More information on this SAE can be found on the homepage.
 
     The duly completed application form and supporting documents, together with 22 copies of the proposed school plan with executive summary and list of operating schools should reach the Infrastructure and Research Support Division of the EDB (6th Floor, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong) by 5pm on April 19, 2022. Late or incomplete applications, as well as applications via email, will not be processed. For enquiries, please contact the EDB at 3509 8413 or 3509 8411.

Ends/Monday, February 21, 2022
Issued at HKT 11:38

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