Primary Students on Waitlists for Places in Student Care Centres
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the utilization rates and waitlist status of school-based Student Care Centres (SCCs), as raised by Mr Cai Yinzhou. Minister Desmond Lee stated that 30,000 students are enrolled across 182 primary schools, whereas SCC services are not required at the secondary level. He explained that schools prioritize students from lower-income households who lack adult supervision and work with operators to expand capacity when necessary. While a small number of children are on SCC waitlists, Minister Desmond Lee clarified that they all have access to alternative care arrangements. The Ministry of Education continues to collaborate with agencies to ensure that students from vulnerable families have access to both SCCs and holiday programmes.
Transcript
37 Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the current utilisation rate of school-based Student Care Centres (SCCs) and school-based holiday programmes at the primary and secondary levels, respectively; (b) how many primary students are currently on waitlists for SCC places; and (c) what specific measures are being taken to expand capacity in high-demand estates to ensure that children from low-income families have priority access.
Mr Desmond Lee: Currently, around 30,000 students are enrolled in the Student Care Centres (SCCs) in 182 primary schools. They provide care after school and during the school holidays. This service is not needed in secondary schools.
Schools work with SCC operators to expand capacity to meet demand where needed, while maintaining service quality. Most schools have sufficient SCC capacity to meet demand. In schools where the demand for SCC places exceeds current provision, schools prioritise students who would benefit most from after-school care, such as those from lower-income households who may not have conducive home environments or adult supervision after school. There are a small number of children known to the Ministry of Education (MOE) to be on a waitlist of a SCC, but they all have current alternative care arrangements.
For school-based holiday programmes, a similar question was answered in this House in January 2026. The member may wish to refer to MOE's reply to Oral Question No 35 on the Order Paper for 13 January 2026. [Please refer to "Support during June and Year-end Holidays for Children Without Conducive Home Environments", Official Report, 13 January 2026, Vol 96, Issue 13, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
MOE will continue to work closely with agencies and community partners so that students, including those from lower-income families, can have access to school-based student care services during both the school terms and school holidays.