【明報專訊】THE COMMITTEE ON FREE KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION has recommended that the government subsidise half-day kindergartens so that they can offer classes free of charge. However, under this plan, whole-day and long whole-day kindergartens (hereafter collectively referred to as WDKGs) would receive subsidies just 25 to 30 percent larger than those half-day kindergartens would get. This means that WDKG children's parents would still have to pay some tuition. A controversial recommendation, it has been criticised by some as divergent from the idea of providing free kindergarten education. The recommendation has to do with considerations of resource allocation. But in reality, how much money will be needed to extend free education to WDKG students? As the government has provided no such data, it is impossible to judge whether the recommendation is reasonable and appropriate. Furthermore, it is worth discussion whether the recommendation deviates from the government's human resources policy.