FINANCING FOR EQUITY
1. Overall Education Financing Mechanisms
2. Policies and Programmes to Provide Resources to Schools
3. Education Policies and Programmes to Provide Resources to Students and Families
4. Social Policies and Programmes to Provide Resources to Students and their Families
Macau has 9 years of compulsory education from primary to secondary education. Macau offers all Macau citizens a 15-year free education system from preschool to high school.
There are 74 schools offering formal education (including 10 public and 64 private schools), 67 are under a free education network, and the remaining 7 are unsubsidized private schools. It is school. The government offers free education subsidies to private schools within the free education network. The amounts are MOP 918 200 (US$114 000) for kindergarten, MOP 1 million (USD 125 000) for primary, MOP 1.2 million (USD 153 000) for lower-secondary and MOP 1.4 million (US$ 174 000) for upper secondary. Besides that, the Macau government also offers textbook allowances to students who are residents of Macau and are receiving formal education in Macau.
Government expenditure on education in 2016 was MOP 19 billion (US$1.3 billion), which was 14.9% of total government expenditure and 2.5% of GDP in the same year.
Disability
In 2017, there were 78,000 students with disabilities in the non-higher education. Schools offering inclusive education classes are granted a maxim amount of $ 12,329 USD per year per class, which means it takes $ 1 million USD in total and takes 0.09% of government expenditure on education.
Schools are given subsidies to provide balanced and nutritious breakfast and lunch meals for students in special education classes, so as to help students develop good eating habits and reduce parents’ pressure to take care of their children with special educational needs. The amount is $ 470 USD per student per year, which takes $ 994,520 USD in total and takes 0.08% of government expenditure on education.
Ethnicity and language
According to school year 2018/2019 “School Development Plan”, subsidies are given to schools that offer Portuguese courses. The maxim amount per school of each year is $ 5,055 USD.
Disability
From the guide to special education, for those students who are not part of the free education system need to pay tuition and other related expenses for their schooling. These students will receive a tuition subsidy from government. In 2015, each student can receive the following amount: $2,203 USD per year for infant education, $2,450 USD per year for primary education, and $2,723 USD per year for secondary education.
Poverty
According to the Education and youth affairs bureau, students studying in non-profit formal education or recurrent education (life-long education) schools registered at the Education and Youth Affair Bureau, holding Macau Resident Identity Cards, and from impoverished families can apply for the tuition subsidy, meal subsidy and school supplies subsidy. Subsidies are granted to the students through the school where they study. However, those who are enjoying free education will not be granted tuition subsidy separately.
Ethnicity and language
In the 2013/2014 academic year, the Subvention Scheme for Training Portuguese-speaking Teachers and Language Experts was launched, to subsidise high school graduates for enrolment to bachelor’s degree programmes in Portuguese and Spanish languages, master’s degree programmes in education, and bachelor’s degree programmes and/or master’s programmes in applied foreign languages in Portugal. The government and the Catholic University of Portugal have also reached a cooperation agreement on organising preparatory courses on Portuguese language and culture for Macau students who will continue their studies in Portugal. Students who pass these courses will be directly enrolled in the above programmes. The subsidy amount ranges from US$ 13 000 for 1st year preparatory course to US$25 000 for bachelor and master’s courses.
Disability
According to the guide to special education, school and special education institutions are given subsidy to provide the transportation arrangements to and from school.
