After-school care service scheme expands to 207 schools, supporting 10,000 students

More than 10,000 primary school students are now benefiting from the School-based After School Care Service Scheme, which has expanded to cover 207 primary schools since its inception, Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki announced on Thursday.

Speaking at a ceremony for the scheme today, Chan emphasized that the initiative is designed to ensure underprivileged primary school students receive essential care and academic support within a safe, familiar, and structured environment.

At the same time, the program frees up parents to pursue employment opportunities and improve their families' livelihoods.

Launched in the 2023/24 academic year, the scheme has expanded from 59 participating schools to 207, offering assistance to over 10,000 students, Chan said. 

To further amplify this impact, he announced that the government will remove the cap on the number of available student places starting next school year, and he urged all primary schools across the city to join the initiative.

Beyond homework support, Chan added that the scheme offers group games and social activities to ease learning stress, boost peer interaction, and build teamwork skills.

Chan also addressed the issue of students struggling with schoolwork late into the evening, calling late-night homework "completely unhealthy." 

He urged the Education Bureau to continue helping students complete their assignments while still at school, thereby freeing up more quality time for family bonding at home.

Feedback from participating households has been overwhelmingly positive, with parents reporting a significant reduction in their daily caregiving burdens and a notable decrease in parent-child friction over schoolwork.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓