The voucher scheme for pre-primary education will be amended and a three-year transition period established to cover private independent kindergartens, Secretary for Education & Manpower Prof Arthur Li says.

These schools are required to make public their accounts if they want to be included in the scheme, he said. Private independent kindergartens satisfying the requirements are eligible to redeem the vouchers of parents whose children are enrolled in these kindergartens as of the 2007-08 school year throughout their education at the same facility.

However, the condition that their tuition fee should not exceed $24,000 per student per annum will continue.

As a positive step to encourage eligible private independent kindergartens to operate on a non-profit-making basis early and benefit from the voucher scheme, the Government will provide them with a one-off facilitation grant if they apply for reimbursement by next August.

The grant will be capped at $30,000 and provided on a reimbursement basis for meeting the legal and accounting, or auditing, costs incurred in the conversion.