Policy Address

Kindergarten Education

188.         The Government has decided to implement a free quality kindergarten education policy from the 2017/18 school year to improve the quality of kindergarten education in various aspects through the following measures:

1.  Provide eligible local non-profit-making kindergartens with a basic subsidy for a three-year quality half-day service for all eligible children.  It is estimated that about 70% to 80% of the places in half-day kindergartens will become free-of-charge.  The estimate is based on a number of assumptions.  For instance, that kindergartens recruit teachers at the recommended teacher-pupil ratio of 1:11; that Government funding other than that used for paying teachers’ salaries and provided as specific subvention is used in a flexible way; and that rental expenses of kindergartens remain stable at the current level.  The Government will also provide an additional subsidy for eligible whole-day and long whole-day kindergartens, and revise the planning standards to offer more whole-day places progressively;
2.  Further improve the teacher-pupil ratio to 1:11 to strengthen support for students with diverse needs, and encourage kindergartens to establish a career ladder and provide competitive remuneration to attract and retain quality teaching staff;
3. Review the Guide to the Pre-primary Curriculum, taking into consideration the experience of learning and teaching in kindergartens and societal needs;
4. Refine the Quality Assurance Framework; enhance the governance and transparency of kindergartens; and step up the Government’s monitoring efforts;
   
5. Strengthen support for needy students, non-Chinese speaking students and students with diverse learning needs;
6. Enhance parent engagement and parent education; and
7. Improve school premises and facilities and explore feasible measures to increase kindergarten premises in the long run. 

189.         Before the new policy is implemented, I will invite the CCF to consider providing a one-off grant for kindergarten students from needy families in the 2016/17 school year to cover their school-related expenses.

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