Asked by : Hon YEUNG Yiu-chung
Replied by : SEM
Question :
Regarding the Non-means-tested Loan Scheme set up for students of tertiary institutions, will the Government inform this Council of:
Reply:
Madam President,
a. | The ambit of the Non-means Tested Loan Scheme (NLS) covers students of publicly-funded institutions1, the Open University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Shue Yan College and persons pursuing continuing education provided in Hong Kong by registered schools, non-local universities and professional and recognised training bodies. In the 2000/01 academic year (up to 30 April 2001), a total of 9 970 persons have obtained loans under the NLS with 7 356 (74%) taking full-time courses and 2 614 (26%) taking part-time courses. 1 The eight University Grants Committee-funded institutions, the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education of the Vocational Training Council, the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts and the General Diploma Course on Dental Technology at the Prince Philip Dental Hospital. |
b. | From January 2000 to 30 April 2001, we received 313 applications for deferring repayment of loans under the NLS. A breakdown by the reasons given in support of these applications is as follows: |
Reason for deferment | No. of applications |
---|---|
Further studies | 199 |
Financial hardship | 111 |
Illness | 3 |
Total | 313 |
c. | A breakdown of the loan repayment cases that were in default for two or more consecutive quarterly instalments as at 30 April 2001 is as follows : |
Number of default cases | 372 |
Number of repayment accounts | 5 158 |
Percentage of default cases in termof repayment accounts | 7.2% |
Amount overdue | $1.1 million |