The Education Bureau today announced the provision of an allowance for frontline cleaning and security workers of post-secondary education institutions, non-government schools and kindergartens under the sixth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund.

It issued letters or a circular memorandum to inform schools and related organisations of the allowance details.

With a further extension of the subsidy coverage, the fund will offer a monthly allowance of $2,000 for five months, referring to February to June this year, to those cleaning and security workers with a view to giving financial support for their anti-epidemic efforts and recognition of their committed services at this critical juncture.

It is estimated that around 33,000 workers will benefit from the measure. The total expenditure is about $334 million.

The Cleansing & Security Service Provider Subsidy Scheme for Non-government Schools & Kindergartens under the fund will cover aided schools, those under the Direct Subsidy Scheme and English Schools Foundation, caput schools, international schools, private independent schools, kindergartens and private day schools offering full and formal curriculum.

Cleaning and security workers directly employed by these schools as well as those deployed to schools by the commissioned cleaning or security service contractors are eligible for the allowance.

Meanwhile, the Cleansing & Security Service Provider Subsidy Scheme for Post-secondary Education Institutions will provide a special allowance for frontline cleaning and security staff engaged by 36 post-secondary education institutions and their service contractors.

To expedite the vetting process and provision of allowances, applications should be submitted through the institutions, schools or their service contractors. Frontline cleaning or security workers are not required to hand in applications on their own.

Upon receipt of the allowances, the institutions, schools and service contractors should disburse them to eligible workers as soon as possible.