Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) director Leong Lai, also the head of the supervising body for funds to private schools, said she would bear the responsibility to overhaul regulation and tighten oversight after a report by the Commission of Audit laid bare the bureau’s oversight shortages in monitoring private school subsidies.
During a press conference at the public hospital yesterday, Leong Lai was asked if the bureau had any solutions to stop cases of eventual misappropriation of public funds by schools.
“Whether the bureau’s management or members of the fund, we have always asked our colleagues to carry out [duties] according to the guidelines,” said Leong in response to one highlight in the report that points to official negligence in allowing submission of documents for subsidies in the absence of receipts.
However, the authorities have already received all overdue receipts, the bureau head revealed, insisting that it was a matter of “timeliness” since the schools were untimely in submitting their receipts. Leong also acknowledged that the law governing educational institutes’ declaration of financial standing, which was introduced in 1993, was falling far behind the situation today.
She pledged to tighten a grip on governance and beef up training for her subordinates while overhauling the outdated ordinance and related guidance to make up for the misconduct.
Asked if she herself ought to bear a certain level of responsibility, the official stated: “As a public servant in whatever role, there’s [my] own responsibility to take. As a director, I firstly have to know how to face the incident in order to optimize the works in the future.”
Leong strongly dismissed allegations that the bureau has taken a penalty-free approach to schools, explaining that punishment has previously been imposed on “educational institutes.” However, she also said that only one school has ever suffered rejection of subsidies as a penalty.
Ip peng Kin to succeed Lai Ieng Kit
The chief of the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture, Lai Ieng Kit, will leave his current position after his mandate ends on December 19. The official, who was appointed by the Secretary, hoped his departure would give him more time with his family. Ip Peng Kin, head of the Social Security Fund’s administrative committee, will become Lai’s successor.
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