政壇：睇社論學英文：跨境學童年年增 頭痛醫頭怎治本

新學年即將開始，跨境學童問題再度引起關注。港府預計本學年跨境學童將會增至一萬七千人，下學年會進一步激增至二萬二千人，面對蜂擁而來的跨境大軍，當局推出多項措施處理學童過境安排，包括增加校巴停泊位、「車上檢」及禁區紙「替補機制」等。可惜措施雖多，始終治標不治本，無法真正解決問題。

以禁區紙「替補機制」來說，當局估計去年有六百名學童因不再來港讀書，白白浪費名額，惟實際情況是否如此，多少學童可以獲得替補，當局也說不清楚。而車上檢雖可免卻學童上下車過關之苦，可惜名額只有六百個，僧多粥少。至於所謂保母車分流，更是未見其利先見其害，有保母車公司因乘搭人數減少而大幅加價，令家長叫苦連天。

事實上，面對跨境學童大軍壓境，最大問題是當局欠缺全方位規劃，一味頭痛醫頭、腳痛醫腳，自然無法治本。正如有人提議，港府可與內地合作，在深圳覓地興建公立學校，讓這些雙非兒童就地上學，接受港式教育，這樣既可免卻舟車勞頓之苦，又可減輕口岸負擔，還可解決北區學位不足問題，一舉數得，何樂而不為？

Cross-border students have become a headache for the Government

With the new school term around the corner, the issue of cross-border students has once again attracted attention. The Hong Kong Government estimates that the number of cross-border students will increase to 17,000, and further to 22,000 in the next term. In the face of this daily cross-border influx, the Government has launched many measures, including increasing the amount of school bus parking spaces, undertaking immigration clearance on school buses and introducing a "replacement mechanism" for closed area permit, etc. However, the numerous measures can just bring about a temporary solution, but fail to get at the root of the problem.

Take the "replacement mechanism" for closed area permit as an example. The Government guesstimated that 600 students would no longer come to study in Hong Kong last year, so their places were wasted for nothing. In fact, the Government was not clear about the actual situation and the quantity of students that could enjoy the "replacement mechanism". Although undertaking immigration clearance on school buses can alleviate the students' troubles of getting off and on buses when they cross the border, there are only 600 places and the supply definitely falls short of the demand. As for the so-called streaming of nanny vans, its advantages are preceded by disadvantages. Due to the significant drop in passengers, some nanny van companies have increased their fees sharply, resulting in the parents' bitter complaints.

Facing the large contingent of cross-border students, the biggest problem actually lies with the incomprehensive planning of the Government. Its piecemeal and patchy solutions will never effect a permanent cure. Someone has suggested that the Hong Kong Government can cooperate with the Mainland authorities to build public schools in Shenzhen. Then these children whose parents are not Hong Kong residents can study locally but receive Hong Kong-style education. By doing so, the students do not have to endure the hardship of traveling daily to and from Hong Kong, the burden on the exit and entry points can be allayed, and the problem of insufficient school places in the North District can also be resolved. Why doesn't the Government do so, since it can kill several birds with one stone?

重要生字

replacement mechanism vt. 替補機制

kill two（several）birds with one stone vt. 一舉兩（數）得