HK Educators Want Steady Funding to Continue

Source: China Daily

Hong Kong Educators are urging the government to keep on investing in the sector in the coming years as they are preparing for the implementation of a new education system.

They made the call as they told China Daily what they are expecting from the chief executive's policy address to be delivered next Wednesday.

They stressed that government investment in education is crucial at a time when economic uncertainty is giving universities a hard time in fund-raising and teachers are working under immense pressure.

The new university system, under which the existing 3-year programs will be extended to four years, will be launched in 2012, while the new senior secondary system, which will be shortened from four years to three, will be launched in 2009.

The government will subsidize about 62 percent of the cost for an individual to attend university when the four-year system is launched.

The Heads of Universities Committee has recently sent a letter to the government, requesting the subsidies for individual student to be increased to 82 percent.

"Universities are competing for professors all over the world. It is necessary to increase resources," Hong Kong Institute of Education president Anthony Cheung said. "A stable source of funding is important for the education sector as we need to plan for our long-term future."

Universities are planning to expand their campus to cater for the increased number of students. The government has allocated HK$3.4 billion for the universities to build extra facilities.

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) vice-president for administration and business Wong Yuk-shan said the government should give universities more money for campus expansion because construction cost has increased rapidly.

Wong said government funding is necessary under the current economic conditions.

"With such economic conditions, it is difficult to seek private donations. Universities of course have the responsibilities to seek community resources, but that will be affected by the economy. Government funding is very important," he said.

Meanwhile, he said Hong Kong needs to provide more university places for non-local students, most of whom are from the mainland.

"We need to admit more overseas students without affecting the chance of local students receiving tertiary education. Therefore, we need more university places," he said.

Hong Kong Subsidized Secondary Schools Council chairman Shirley Wong hoped the government will not slash spending in education.

"I hope the government will not cut the budget for basic education. I don't think the government will increase spending under the gloomy economy, but spending on education should not be cut," she said. 

 By Teddy Ng

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Editor: Jessie Hwang