Having thoroughly considered the review report submitted by the Task Force on School-based Management (SBM) Policy, the Education Bureau (EDB) today (July 23) decided to accept all the 27 recommendations contained therein.
      
     The Task Force set up under the Education Commission (EC) submitted its report on July 8 this year, putting forward a total of 27 recommendations with a view to improving the quality of governance, strengthening the administration capabilities of schools and unleashing capacity for teachers and principals, and enhancing the participation of major stakeholders in school governance which includes optimising the mechanism on handling teachers' complaints. The recommendations are set out in the Annex.
      
     The Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, said, "The Task Force's recommendations are pragmatic and constructive in further enhancing the effectiveness of SBM. The EDB attaches great importance to the effective implementation of SBM. We have earlier adopted the Task Force's preliminary views and announced that starting from the 2019/20 school year, all public sector schools (including special schools) and schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme would be provided with additional resources of $570 million each year for the implementation of two of the recommendations, including the 'One Executive Officer for Each School’ initiative and the SBM Top-up Grant.
      
     "After thorough consideration of the review report, we have decided to implement 14 other recommendations gradually starting from the 2019/20 school year, such as enhancing manager training and school visits, setting up focus groups to understand the stakeholders' needs, implementing the soft training targets for school managers, and following up with the Panel of Review Boards on School Complaints to expand the scope of its review to cover teachers’ complaints. The EDB is currently formulating the implementation details."
            
     He added that as the remaining 11 recommendations concern school sponsoring bodies or incorporated management committees, the EDB would contact them as soon as possible, calling on them to implement the recommendations starting from the 2019/20 school year and providing them with appropriate assistance.
      
     The full review report can be viewed on the EC website (www.e-c.edu.hk/en/publications_and_related_documents/education_reports.html).

     A spokesman for the Labour Department (LD) today (July 23) reminded operators of employment agencies (EAs) to conduct their business in compliance with the law and the requirements of the Code of Practice for EAs (the Code) at all times.
      
     The LD has revoked the licence of Saint Happy Maids Agency located in Mong Kok, Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan. The EA failed to meet the requirements set out in the Code, such as becoming involved in the financial affairs of foreign domestic helpers (FDHs), failing to draw up service agreements with employers, failing to include all required items in the service agreement with employers and FDHs, and failing to provide payment receipts to employers.
      
     Under section 53(1)(c)(iva) and (e)(ii) of the Employment Ordinance (EO), the Commissioner for Labour (the Commissioner) may revoke the licence of an EA if he is satisfied that the licensee concerned or an individual employed by the licensee has not complied with the Code.
      
     "The Code sets out the salient legal requirements that EA operators must observe in operating their business, as well as the minimum standards which the Commissioner expects from EAs. The Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, which came into effect on February 9, 2018, stipulates that the Commissioner may refuse to issue or renew a licence, or may revoke a licence, if he is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the licensee or the person intending to be the licensee of an EA, or a related person of or an individual employed by the licensee or the person intending to be the licensee has contravened any provision of Part XII or any regulation made under section 62 of the EO, such as overcharging job seekers, operating an EA without a license, or has not complied with the Code issued under section 62A(1) of the EO," the spokesman added.
      
     This is the third revocation of an EA licence in 2019. In 2018, there were eight cases of revocation/refusal of renewal of EA licences.
      
     For enquiries about matters related to EAs or complaints regarding possible malpractices, please call the Employment Agencies Administration of the LD at 2115 3667, or visit its office at Unit 906, 9/F, One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) today (July 23) announced that in consideration of the latest composite consumer price index, the service fee for the Participating Service Providers (PSPs) in the General Outpatient Clinic Public-Private Partnership (GOPC PPP) Programme will be increased from $3,283 to $3,408, representing an increase of around 3.8 per cent, per patient per year at the maximum with retrospective effect from July 1, 2019.
 
     The HA spokesperson said calculation of the adjustment was based on the commonly used Composite Consumer Price Index (Medical Services), published in the Monthly Report on the Consumer Price Index by the Hong Kong Government's Census and Statistics Department for the period from July 2018 to June 2019.
 
     "The maximum total payment to PSPs per patient per year, covering up to 10 consultations, will be increased from $3,283 to $3,408. Participating patients, however, will continue to pay only the HA GOPC fee of $50 per attendance," the spokesperson said.
 
     The GOPC PPP Programme has been implemented in all 18 districts in Hong Kong. The territory-wide implementation gives patients more choices in selecting their family doctors all over Hong Kong. As at the end of June 2019, over 400 PSPs are providing consultation services to more than 32 000 GOPC patients who have joined the Programme.
 
     "All HA PPP Programmes work on Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHRSS) platforms. PSPs and patients have to register for eHRSS if they wish to join the programmes, including the GOPC PPP Programme," the spokesperson added.
 
     The HA will continue to monitor closely the implementation of the GOPC PPP Programme and keep in view closely the feedback from service providers, patients and other parties concerned.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has announced that the lifesaving services at Golden Beach in Tuen Mun District resumed today (July 23). The lifesaving services at the beach were suspended earlier due to an insufficient number of lifeguards on duty. 

     The Government announced today (July 23) the following senior appointments:

(a) Ms Annie Choi Suk-han, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology on July 30, 2019;

(b) Ms Rebecca Pun Ting-ting, Deputy Secretary for Transport and Housing (Transport), will take up the post of Commissioner for Innovation and Technology on July 30, 2019; and

(c) Mr Eddie Cheung Kwok-choi, Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services), will take up the post of Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union on August 26, 2019.

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, said, "The three appointees are seasoned Administrative Officers with proven leadership and management skills. I have every confidence that they will serve the community with professionalism in their new capacities."
  
     On the retirement of the former Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, who has proceeded on pre-retirement leave, Mr Law said, "Mr Cheuk has rendered 38 years of loyal and dedicated service to the community of Hong Kong. During his tenure as Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Cheuk made tremendous contributions to developing Hong Kong into an innovation and technology (I&T) hub. He steered government efforts on multiple fronts to drive I&T development and promote the adoption of technology to improve the delivery of public services and daily living in the community. I wish him a fulfilling and happy retirement."

     Brief biographical notes of the four officers are set out below:
 
Mr Cheuk Wing-hing
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     Mr Cheuk was appointed to the civil service as an Inspector of Police in June 1981. He joined the Administrative Service in August 1984 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2017. He has served in a wide range of bureaux and departments, including the former Councils and Administration Branch, the former Administrative Services and Information Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the Post Office, the former Finance Branch, the former Monetary Affairs Branch, the former Hong Kong Government Office in London, the Department of Health, the former Civil Service Branch, the former Industry Department, Invest Hong Kong, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the General Grades Office, the former Health, Welfare and Food Bureau and the Labour Department. He was Chairman of the 2014 Administrative Officer Recruitment Board from February to March 2014, Director of Administration and Development in the Department of Justice from May 2014 to November 2015, and Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology from November 2015 to April 2019.

Ms Annie Choi Suk-han
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     Ms Choi joined the Administrative Service in October 1986 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2017. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Civil Service Branch, the former Health and Welfare Branch, the former Planning, Environment and Lands Branch, the former Industry Department, the former Environment and Food Bureau and the former Environment, Transport and Works Bureau. She was Deputy Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce and Industry) from July 2007 to August 2009 and Commissioner of Insurance from September 2009 to August 2015, and has been serving as Commissioner for Innovation and Technology since August 2015.

Ms Rebecca Pun Ting-ting
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     Ms Pun joined the Administrative Service in July 1987 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2014. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Civil Service Branch, the former Survey Office, the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Recreation & Culture Branch, the former Central Policy Unit, the former Health and Welfare Branch, Home Affairs Department, the former Housing Bureau and the Judiciary. She was Principal Assistant Secretary for Education and Manpower from June 2003 to March 2006 and Executive Director of the Employees Retraining Board from April 2006 to July 2010, and has been serving in two different posts at Deputy Secretary level in the Transport and Housing Bureau since October 2010.

Mr Eddie Cheung Kwok-choi
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     Mr Cheung joined the Administrative Service in October 1993 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B in April 2014. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Health and Welfare Branch, the former Financial Services Branch, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto, the former Information Technology and Broadcasting Bureau and the former Education and Manpower Bureau. He was District Officer (Tuen Mun) from March 2008 to May 2012 and Principal Assistant Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services) from May 2012 to January 2013, and has been serving as Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services) since January 2013.