Large-scale survey shows wide variances in the types and amounts of miscellaneous charges by kindergartens
A Consumer Council survey has found kindergartens collecting miscellaneous charges equivalent to 27% of tuition fees annually.
The survey, based on over 360 kindergartens which have responded to a Council's questionnaire sent to all kindergartens throughout the territory, also showed wide variances in the types and amounts of miscellaneous charges.
Parentsof kindergarten children, according to the survey, are having to paymiscellaneous fees averaging $2,930 a year.
In the case of some 30 kindergartens, their miscellaneous fees are more than 40% oftuition fees.
The exact amount of this additional charge will depend on the kindergartens their children are attending. For instance, some kindergartens may impose nomiscellaneous charges at all while, in the more extreme cases, the fees could reach as much as $6,000 a year.
The survey showed that, on average, private kindergartens tend to charge a higher miscellaneous fee ($3,645) than those non-profit-making ones ($2,637) - by about $1,000 a year.
Just exactly what are miscellaneous fees for? They are charged for an amazing array of goods and services.
The most commonly found miscellaneous fee items are: textbooks, workbooks, school uniforms, school bags, stationery and snacks.
On the other hand, such school activities as birthday parties, graduation ceremonies, Christmas parties and other occasional celebrations are not uncommon too.
18 kindergartens were found to even include air-conditioning fee as an item of miscellaneous charge.
And what do the parents have to say about miscellaneous charges by kindergartens?
In a separate survey in which 500 parents of kindergarten children took part, over 30% of the parents didn't think the snack fees were of value-for-money. And so were some 40% of parents who shared the same view about the charges for school uniforms.
Only 16.4% of parents were aware that kindergartens are required to exhibit the fees certificate in a conspicuous place. And only 51.6% of parents knew that the number of students in each classroom is restricted and must not exceed the number of students permitted by the Education Department.
But in the same survey more than 60% of parents indicated that they were generally satisfied with the sanitation and cleanliness of the kindergartens as well as the teachers' qualifications.
The Consumer Council is deeply concerned over the high levels of miscellaneous fees charged by some kindergartens and recommends that the Education Department review the issue, taking into consideration the parents' burden and their right to choose.
Specifically,the Council has put forward these proposals :
- Kindergartens must take steps to ensure the prices levied by suppliers are reasonable. They should not seek to reap profits in the provision of such services.
- Kindergartens should not restrict parents to purchase only through the school such miscellaneous items as school uniforms, textbooks, stationery, etc. Parents should have the choice to shop around and purchase on their own.
- For some uniform accessories, such as shoes, socks and sweaters, kindergartens should opt for the more common colour or style to enable parents to do their own purchase from the market. Items bearing special insignia or badges should be kept to a minimum.
- The practice of collecting miscellaneous fees for air-conditioning, water supply/electricity services/maintenance, installation of double-glazed windows, is questionable since these items should be regarded as the general operating cost. The Education Department should provide clear guideline in this aspect.
- In order to fully inform parents about the miscellaneous fees, kindergartens should provide a detailed list of such charges beforehand.
- Kindergartens should establish channels for communication with parents, such as the Parents' Association, to enable parents to air their views on miscellaneous charges and other suggestions.
- Kindergartens, on the other hand, should post such essential information as school fees and number of permitted pupils in the place as required under the Education Regulations. Kindergartens should also post the information in other places, such as their own web-pages, so that parents can find easily.
- The Education Department should publicize actively the rules and regulations relating to kindergartens. Information of individual kindergartens should be displayed in a conspicuous position of its website.
Advice of World Health Organisation (WHO) on mobile phone radiation
Public concern over the health effects of radiation from mobile phones are heightened following the latest report from the UK concerning the vulnerability of children to such radiation.
In this May issue of CHOICE was published a topical report to help raise public awareness and understanding of the growing health concern over mobile phone usage. It contains divergent views of research on the health effects of mobile phone radiation.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has established an International EMF (electromagnetic field) Project to assess the existing scientific evidence of possible health effects of EMF, including the radio frequency (RF) emitted by mobile phones, and to recommend new research.
It will probably take several years for the required research to be completed, evaluated and publishedby WHO. In the meantime, WHO has recommended :
- Strict adherence to the existing international and national safety standards.
- Mobile phones can cause electromagnetic interference in electrical equipment. Caution should be exercised when using mobile phones in hospital and aircraft, where there are sensitive equipment, or around certain medical devices such as cardiac pacemakers and hearing aids. Individuals using these medical devices should contact their doctor to determine their susceptibility to the EMF effects.
- Scientific evidence does not indicate any need for RF-absorbing covers around mobile phone handsets.
- An effective system of health information and communications among scientists, governments, the industry and the public may help raise general awareness of mobile phone technology and reduce any mistrust and fears.
15 new model of GSM/PCS handsets tested
Meanwhile, the Consumer Council has tested 15 new models of GSM/PCS handsets comprising 3 single band and 12 dual band. One model has the WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) feature which can be used to assess online service.
Prices of these handset srange from some $1,300 to $6,500.
The test covers all important aspects such as intelligibility, sensitivity, battery performance (standby and usable time), tumble evaluation and convenience.
The test found significant variations in battery performance although intelligibility was generally good among these models.
The test results are presented together with the results of a previous test on 14 other models(published in the December 1999 issue of CHOICE), in a comparative table for easy comparison.
As basically handsets differ quite considerably in their design and features, consumers should choose according to their own needs and requirements.
Choose and use TV sets with the utmost care to prevent fire accidents at home
Television sets should be a source of home entertainment and not potential hazard to the safety of the family.
But the situation is far from totally reassuring. In the past nearly 21/2 years since 1998, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) has received no less than 11 reports of fires suspected to have been caused by faulty television sets.
To ensure TV sets available to consumers on the market are in compliance with safety standards, the EMSD has recently conducted a test on 16 models of 14 to 30 inch TV sets.
The results are nonetheless most satisfactory: with the exception of only one model, all samples - thoughone needs some improvement in safety marking - were able to measure up to the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standard.
The one model in question failed in 2 test items, namely, cord anchorage, and resistance to fire.
Faulty cord anchorage - displacement of the power cord after being pulled and twisted as detected in the test - may cause dislocation or loosening of the connection between the components of the TV set and the power cord, thus increasing the risk of electric shock.
For resistance to fire, thestandard requires that in the event the plastic case of the TV set is ignited, the speed of fire spreading must not exceed a certain limit.
TV-related fires may not necessarily be due to the safety of TV sets, but rather the improper or careless usage of the appliances by their users.
Consumers should therefore exercise due caution by observing the following :
- Switch off or unplug the TV set when it is not to be used for extended periods. Do not leave the TV in standby mode for a prolonged period.
- Leave enough space for ventilation to prevent overheating. Do not cover or block the ventilation openings with cloth or other materials.
- Do not place water containers (vases, glasses) on the TV. Do not use wet cloth to clean the TV.
- If the TV shows abnormal signs, arrange a checkup by a qualifed technician.
Banks vary in criteria, practice and levels of charges imposed on low balance or inactive Multi-Currency Savings Accounts
Are you the holder of a Multi-Currency Savings Account with a bank? What happens when your account is of allow balance or inactive or both?
According to a study of the Consumer Council on 19 banks in Hong Kong, you may face a number of possibilities when the money you deposit in a Multi-Currency Savings Account falls below a minimum balance or exceeds a period of inactivity :
- Some banks would impose a charge but only when all the currencies in the account are low in balance and/or dormant.
- In that case, some banks would charge only a single fee for all the currencies while others would charge separately for each of the currencies in the account.
- In a few cases, banks would reduce the interest rate when the balance is less than a certain designated amount.
- On the other hands, some banks would impose a charge whenever one of the currencies in the account is low in balance or inactive or both. Furthermore, they would charge separately for each of the currencies in such an account.
- Some (3 out of 19) banks have no charges for either inactive or dormant accounts.
The Consumer Council is of the view that banks have the obligation to draw the attention of depositors to the rules pertaining to low balance and inactive Multi-Currency Savings Accounts such as their criteria, practice and amount in determining the charges.
On the basis of the information, consumers can choose accordingly the banks to open their accounts.
In the interest of maintaining good customer relations, banks should remind depositors of the rules on each and every occasion when charges arise to enable consumers to avoid such payment.
Rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride batteries are money saving and environmentally friendly
A new generation of rechargeable penlight batteries has made its debut in recent years. Are they really worth the high price they fetch for?
For instance, a pack of 4AA-size rechargeable batteries of the nickel metal hydride (NiMH) type is priced from $65 to $130, or $16.3 to $32.5 each.
This is some over 2 to 5 times more expensive than the conventional alkaline batteries of the same size.
Results of a recent Consumer Council test on 6 models of AA NiMH rechargeable batteries have dispelled any doubts that rechargeable batteries are just another sales gimmick for gullible consumers to part away with their hard earned money.
According to the test, these rechargeable batteries will not only reduce battery costs and save money, they produce less waste and are therefore environmental friendly too.
Take for instance the case of a personal stereo (a radio and cassette recorder with current input of 150 mA on one single AA size battery) operating for 1,000 and 5,000 hours respectively.
The cost savings from using NiMH rechargeable batteries over alkaline batteries could reach $196 and a startling $1,682 respectively!
And the reduction in waste from batteries disposed is equally impressive from 18 and 93 times less respectively!
Consumers are strongly advised to take into account these benefits when choosing AA size batteries.
The models were also put to application test for rating their capacities in milliampere-hour. 3 models were found to be higher than the claimed capacity in the camera flash test and 2 were higher in the personal stereo test. The remainders were found to be lower thanthe claimed capacity.
As the type of appliances used and different measuring methods would affect the results, the test is unable to ascertain how significant were the variations from the claimed capacities of the samples.
Normally, the capacity of are chargeable battery will decrease over time. The electrical energy loss was estimated to range from 5% to 19% after storage of 28 days.
In general, AA-size NiMH rechargeable batteries are suitable for use as alternatives for alkaline batteries. However consumers are advised to read the instruction manual of the devices intended for use. To avoid overheating or leakage of electrolytes, consumers should also take note of the following :
- Charge NiMH batteries with only appropriate chargers and follow the instructions for charging.
- Do not use different types or different capacities of batteries in the same battery assembly, nor charge different types or different capacities of batteries with the same charger.