2011-2012年度財政預算案 Financial Budget 2011-2012

2011-2012年度財政預算案

新一年度財政預算案已於二月二十三日（星期三）公佈，鑑於社會各界對這份預算案迴響太大，財政司司長曾俊華在「退無可退」的底線下，於三月二日（星期三）發表了其優化方案，以作為對民間聲音之回應。本年預算案繼續就經濟發展和社會民生方面作出規劃，原意可嘉卻使預算案出現144億赤字。

就教育方面而言，預算案預留了545億元作教育開支之用，佔總預算支出不足兩成，當中包括放寬全額學生資助入息上限，設立課後功課輔導計劃，提供獎學金和推行專上學生內地體驗計劃。在上述各項建議中，課後功課輔導計劃是專為基層家庭子女和準教師們而設的。政府預留了1.1億元以時薪250元聘請準教師為基層家庭子女作課後功課輔導。此舉大大影響了現行補習行業以自由市場運作之模式，令基層家庭子女有機會接受更多功課輔導，可望協助他們提升學業成績。同時，此舉亦可給予一眾準教師更多實習機會，體驗教學。故此對各修讀教育課程之學生實為一難得的機遇。

然而，政府此舉亦有未明朗處－在執行上如何行之有效，不浪費公帑實為一大疑問。正如年前推行的幾項類似計劃（資助基層家庭子女學習音樂、鼓勵學校設立課後輔導班等）在實行上均出現問題，包括行政開支高昂、硬件配套不足等。另外，政府於安排大學生與基層家庭子女作配對時，多會靠中介公司進行，故扣除當中的行政費用後，真正流入一眾大學生口袋的，是否能夠達到時薪250元，尚是未知之數。再者，是項計劃是為基層家庭子女而設的，因此受惠者必是經政府核定之「基層家庭」，此必然會做成標籤效應，對學童帶來負面影響。政府有此熱心協助基層家庭固然是好，但如何安然拆解隱藏在這背後的不明朗因素，我們真的要拭目以待。

思考題：
1. 你認為教育開支僅佔總預算支出兩成以下對發展教育足夠嗎?
2. 政府建議設立課後功課輔導計劃是否變相推廣補習文化？你對政府此做法有何意見?

延伸閱讀：
1. 2011-2012年度財政預算案詳情（香港政府）
http://www.budget.gov.hk/2011/chi/speech.html

2. 曾俊華看財政預算案 (香港電台 － 香港家書 )
http://programme.rthk.org.hk/channel/radio/programme.php?name=radio1/hkletter&d=2011-02-26&p=1085&e=132505&m=episode

3. 時薪250聘準教師輔導貧童　（明報 － 2011年2月24日）
http://specials.mingpao.com/cfm/News.cfm?SpecialsID=237&Page=3&News=c19776ca468969ec4c93d3cacc1321ecc91ed4aeca5367e4851b14e85a

歡迎各會員於本會位於邵仁枚樓二樓，206室對外的民主牆或其他渠道（如Facebook, Academic Blog）發表回應及意見。


Financial Budget 2011-2012

The latest financial budget was announced on 23rd February (Wednesday) by Mr. John C Tsang, the Financial Secretary. After the financial budget was released, a substantial amount of the general public became disgruntled. In response to this, a modified version was announced on 2nd March (Wednesday), in an attempt to silence these opposing voices. This year, the budget will focus on ‘Developing the Economy’ and ‘Caring for People’s Livelihoods’. After readjusting the budget, there will be a total deficit of $14.4 billion.

In the education aspect, Mr Tsang reserved $54.5 billion for supporting education, which only costs less than 20% of the total recurrent government expenditure. Related policies include relaxing the income ceiling for the full level of student financial assistance under the means testing mechanism, setting up an ‘After-school Homework Guidance’ scheme, increasing grants and scholarships, and promoting a ‘Mainland Experience Scheme for Post-secondary Students’. The ‘After-school Homework Guidance’ scheme is specifically designed to help children from low-income families to receive homework guidance after school. The scheme will collaborate with local tertiary institutions to encourage and enlist tertiary students, especially those full-time students interested in joining the teaching profession. The government earmarked $110 million for this scheme which would offer an hourly wage of $250 to tertiary students to provide after school guidance to low-income family children. This proposal provides an opportunity for low-income family students to be tutored but it would also interrupt the existing market-driven tutorial market. The government hopes that the scheme would provide greater support to ensure that children from low income families will not be affected by lack of financial support. At the same time, this scheme provides practicum experience for tertiary students, especially those who are studying in education programmes.

However, there are still uncertainties about this scheme. The main concern is how to ensure effectiveness of the scheme without wasting any money. Similar schemes promoted in some years back (aiding low-income family students to learn music, encouraging schools to set up after-school tutoring, etc.) have practical problems such as high administrative costs, insufficient hardware and equipment, etc. Also, when the government is matching university students with children from low-income families, it is often through intermediary organizations. After deducting the administrative cost, the actual amount of hourly wages be offered to the tertiary students might be lesser than $250. As this scheme is set for low-income families, it may create a labeling effect to the benefited children and bring negative impacts to them. It is good that the government aims to help students from low-income families, but how to tackle the uncertainties is another challenge for the government.

Discussion:

1. Education expenditure only cost less than 20% of the whole expenditure, do you think it is sufficient?

2. Is the ‘After-school Homework Guidance’ scheme promoting the tutoring culture rather than assisting the low achievers? What is your opinion towards this scheme?

Readings:

1. Financial Budget 2011-2012 (HKSAR)
http://www.budget.gov.hk/2011/eng/speech.html

We welcome all members to voice your opinions either through our Democracy wall on 2/F of Runme Shaw Building (outside room 206), our facebook, or academic blog.