Job training centre for disabled teenagers could have a reprieve as Hong Kong government reveals new plan
- Shine Skills Centre in Kwun Tong was set to close after its site was earmarked for development
The Hong Kong government took a U-turn on Tuesday regarding its controversial plan to shut down a job training centre for disabled teens, saying there is a possibility its operator can continue to provide services at a new site under an enhanced mode.
The surprise announcement came after weeks of fervent protests from students, parents, and alumni at the decision to close the facility. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor revealed in her October policy address that the government would redevelop the 118,000 sq ft site in Kwun Tong, which currently houses the Shine Skills Centre, operated by the Vocational Training Council (VTC).
In its place will be a civil service college featuring upgraded facilities for staff training.
After the initial public outcry, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong said last month the government was looking at identifying a site at a more central location in Kowloon for a new integrated vocational training centre (IVTC), which is typically run by an NGO.
But critics questioned the suitability of replacing the Shine centre, which is set to be demolished in 2021, with an IVTC as the former is run by an educational organisation and offers a wider range of programmes.
