Education Bureau will provide additional places in special schools, allowing students to study longer.

The upgrades will be phased in from the 2010-11 school year, costing more than $300 million annually in recurrent spending upon full implementation.

Students with intellectual disability in special schools should normally complete their primary and secondary education in 12 years, and those in special schools offering ordinary curriculum to children with physical disability or hearing impairment should complete their schooling in 13 years. With the improvement measures, eligible students can extend their years of study using the extra places. The three valid reasons include prolonged absence from school due to justifiable reasons, serious disruptions in learning, and serious adaptation problems.

Schools should establish an objective mechanism and exercise professional judgement on the use of these extra school places under a fair, evidence-based and transparent system. Under the new senior secondary academic structure, special school students will graduate and leave school upon completion of Secondary 6.

The bureau said the improvements will result in extra classes being operated, requiring more classrooms and boarding places, requiring phased implementation.