Briefs | DSEJ claims efforts to help teachers

The Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) asserted that it has launched a series of policies to reduce the workload of the city’s teachers. In a reply to lawmaker Sulu Sou’s interpellation, the department used the example of one subsidy program to show that the bureau has encouraged private schools to hire additional teachers in order to reduce overall workload. DSEJ said that in the academic year of 2019/2020, teachers in kindergarten, primary school and secondary schools taught 20.8 classes, 16.2 classes, and 14.3 classes on average, respectively, corresponding to a 9 to 14% decrease compared to 2011/2012. The bureau also used the “School Development Plan” as an example to show that the SAR government sponsors the hiring of consultants in local schools.

Association proposes SMEs get more subsidies

A local commerce association has suggested that the local government should distribute more subsidies to larger SMEs. Yesterday, Lei Cheok Kuan, President of the Industry and Commerce Federation of Macau Central and Southern District, said that his association had proposed that the local government give 100,000 patacas to companies with one to ten employees, 250,000 patacas to companies with 11 to 25 employees, 350,000 patacas to companies with 26 to 35 employees, and a maximum of 500,000 patacas to companies with more than 36 workers. In addition, Lei hopes that, this time, the government’s subsidies can, at a minimum, double the value of the subsidies launched after typhoon Hato.

Apartment of eight people caught fire

An apartment housing eight people caught fire earlier this week. No one was injured in the accident. When the fire broke out, only one person was inside the apartment. All people living in the apartment are non-local workers. 12 residents in the same building evacuated during the fire and also woke the only woman sleeping inside the apartment at the time. Some beds, electrical appliances and daily products were damaged in the fire. The Macau United Citizens Association hopes relevant government departments can improve the fire services’ promotional campaign for non-local workers because many non-local workers share one apartment, sometimes with more than 10 occupants, and their apartments are normally at high risk of electrical short circuits.