The Commission on Poverty endorsed at its meeting today three new measures under the Community Care Fund to help students from low-income families.
Committee chairperson and Chief Secretary Carrie Lam told reporters after the meeting that the measures were proposed in the Chief Executive's Policy Address.
They include a one-off special subsidy of $3,600 for each primary or secondary student who is on a full grant under the textbook assistance scheme in the coming school year.
Mrs Lam said this is an interim measure before the Low-income Working Family Allowance is implemented.
To enhance the effectiveness of integrated education, a cash grant will be provided to schools for them to deploy a designated teacher to coordinate matters relating to students with special education needs. The grant is expected to benefit 8,500 students in 118 schools.
To subsidise post-secondary students with special educational needs to purchase the necessary equipment, an extra amount of $8,000 per year will be added to the academic expenses grant for each of those students.
As of last month, the Community Care Fund has launched 27 programmes with a total commitment of about $4.5 billion.
Ten of these programmes have been incorporated into the Government's regular assistance programme, Mrs Lam added.