Flexibility a hallmark of DSS schools

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Published: 12:00am, 24 Nov 2001

With all this talk about the direct subsidy scheme (DSS) nowadays, can you elaborate on what a DSS school is? How different is it to a normal school in terms of curriculum, flexibility and fees, how many DSS schools are there, which schools are DSS and is any of this information available from the Education Department?

Education Post replies: Schools operating under the scheme enjoy greater flexibility and autonomy in charging of fees, curriculum design and admission of students than government and aided schools.

There are currently 34 DSS schools, of which 32 are secondary and two primary. Five international schools - including Hong Kong International School, the Chinese, French and German Swiss international schools and Li Po Chun United World College - are also on the list. The full list can be found at www.ed.gov.hk.

Government and aided schools are fully funded by the Government while the amount of recurrent government subsidy DSS schools receive is linked to the number of students admitted. A DSS school can receive an annual subsidy of nearly $30,000 per pupil if its tuition fees do not exceed $68,864 a year.

Excluding international schools, DSS fees range from $2,400 a year to $23,500. But schools planning to join the scheme have quoted higher figures of up to $60,000.

DSS schools enjoy full discretion in student intake. Some have said they may use written tests, although the Government does not encourage them to do so. For other local schools, most places are earmarked for central allocation. They are banned from using entrance examinations to select students for discretionary places.