Education Information Station
Life-wide Learning and Sister School Grant-Key Highlights of the New System for the 2025/26 Academic Year.
I. Core Changes in Subsidy Integration
Items
Name
Applicable Schools
Purpose of Integration
New System Starting from the 2025/26 Academic Year
Life-wide Learning and Sister School Grant
All public sector schools (including special schools) and DSS schools
To improve flexibility, utilisation and synergy.
Integrated Original Subsidies
1. Life-wide Learning Grant
2. Grant for the Sister School Scheme
3. Outdoor Education Camp Scheme subsidy
Same as above
Addressing Issues of Original Subsidy Dispersion
II. New Subsidy Structure and Calculation Method
(1) Public and Directly Funded Primary/Secondary Schools (excluding special schools)
Component
Life-wide Learning Grant
Grant for the Sister School Scheme
Minimum Guarantee Amount
Subsidy Cap
計算公式
Primary: $1,100/student/year
Secondary: $1,500/student/year
$165,000/school/year
No less than $300,000/school
Cannot exceed the total amount of the two original subsidies from the 2024/25 academic year
Remarks
Based on student count as of September each year
Requires verification of mainland sister school records by the Education Bureau
Addressing Issues of Original Subsidy Dispersion
Schools without a sister school will only receive $135,000
Refer to Appendix II for calculation examples
(2) Special Schools
Component
Life-wide Learning Grant
Grant for the Sister School Scheme
Calculation Formula
Calculated according to the formula for the 2024/25 academic year, based on the approved number of classes
Continues to use the quota from the 2024/25 academic year ($165,439 per school per academic year).
III. Applicable Scope and Limitations
Allowed Uses (Must Align with Curriculum Objectives)
✅Learning Activities
-Mainland educational exchange activities, local and non-local study tours, and outdoor education camps
- Five essential learning experiences, i.e. values education, intellectual development
-Patriotic education, STEAM, Student mental health
✅Sister School Exchanges
-Teacher-student visits, collaborative lesson planning, management seminars
-Expenses for co-organized activities within the region (including reasonable catering)
✅ Equipment and Services
- Procure equipment and software(≤15% of Annual total expenditure)
-Hiring external professionals to assist with activities
-Comprehensive group travel insurance, Expenses on the visa for students and teachers(≤5%)
Prohibited Uses
❌Employing teaching or non-teaching staff
❌Personal Consumption(i.e. Travel Insurance, Souvenirs)
❌Academic practice materials, parents’ activity expenses
❌School renovation/ construction works, electronic equipment (non-activity-specific)
IV. Operational Guidelines
Items
Financial Managements
餘款處理
申報期限
安全合規
Requirements
- Establish an independent ledger.
- Funding for subsidized, per-student, and direct-funded schools will be issued in two installments (October and April)
- Government schools will adopt a budget allocation system
Surplus can be carried over to the next academic year, but any remaining old subsidy must be returned by August 31, 2026
Records for mainland sister schools must be updated by June 2025 (see Attachment 5 form)
Adhere to the "Guidelines for Overseas Study Activities" and procurement procedures (Education Bureau Circular No. 4/2013)
V. Transition Arrangements
-Surplus from the 2024/25 academic year may be used until the 2025/26 academic year but must remain in the original account.
-By August 31, 2026, any unspent old subsidy surplus must be fully returned to the Education Bureau.
Annex 2: Examples of calculation
(1) For public sector and DSS primary and secondary schools
Example
Primary School A
Secondary School B
Primary School C
Primary School D
Total number of students
648
594
884
100
Actual provision
$877,800
$891,000
$1,126,323
$300,000
Schools which have reported their Mainland sister schools to the EDB
✓
✗
✓
✓
Reason
Not Exceeding the Limit
Not Exceeding the Limit
Exceeding Total Cap for 2024/25
Not Meeting Minimum Guarantee Amount
Based on calculation formula
$648×$1,100+$165,000
=$877,800
$594×$1,500
=$891,000
$884×$1,100+$165,000
=$1,137,400
$100×$1,100+$165,000
=$275,000
(II) For special schools
