Spending on education still in decline, complains Hong Kong lawmaker

LawmakerIpKin-yuensaysthegovernmentrefusestolistentowhateducatorsreallywant.Photo:EdwardWong

(SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST) Althoughthebudgetforeducationin2016-17increasedtoaboutHK$75billion,thelegislatorrepresentingthesectorcomplainedthatfundingcontinuedtofallasaproportionofgovernmentexpenditure–from24.5percentin2005toabout21.5percent.

The3percentdifferenceequatedtoHK$10.5billion,IpKin-yuensaid.

“I’mextremelydisappointedbythebudget,”hesaid.“Overallexpenditurehasincreasedbuttheeducationsectorhasnothing.”

Ipsaidtheeducationpoliciesmentionedinthespeechwereextensionsofpastpolicieswithoutanyinitiatives.Hesaideducatorshadlongdemandedpoliciessuchasincreasingthenumberofgovernment-subsidiseddegreeplaces,buttheadministrationwouldnotlisten.

FinancialSecretaryJohnTsangChun-wahintroducedapilotschemetoprovidesubsidisedtuitionfeesforstudentsadmittedtodesignatedprofessionalpart-timeprogrammesundertheVocationalTrainingCouncil.Thethree-yearschemewillstartfromthenextacademicyear.

TsangsaidtheHK$200millionschemewouldcoverprogrammesinconstruction,engineeringandtechnologytobenefit5,600people.

ThisyearthegovernmenthasalsolaunchedasubsidisedHK$960millionschemeforstudentspursuingself-financingundergraduateprogrammesindisciplinesincludinghealthcare,architectureandengineering,testingandcertification,creativeindustries,logistics,andtourismandhospitality.

Tsangalsofocusedoninternshipsandexchangesforlocalstudents,announcingextensionsofschemesintroducedinthepastfewyears.

HesaidthegovernmentwouldincreasethenumberofplacesforasummerinternshipprogrammeinBeijingfrom20to40thisyear.Theschemewasstartedlastyeartosupportlocaluniversitystudentsinterningatfinancialinstitutionsinthecapital.PartnersintheprogrammeincludetheChinaInvestmentCorporationandtheSilkRoadFund.

Tsangsaidthegovernmentwouldthisyearsubsidise30localuniversitystudentsonacross-borderstudytourschemeforpost-secondary“financialtalents”.TheschemewaslaunchedinShanghaiin2012.

AndaschemetoprovidelocaltertiarystudentsinternshipopportunitiesincountriesundertheAssociationofSoutheastAsianNationswillbeextendedtoinclude11tertiaryinstitutions.Theschemewaslaunchedin2014bytheEconomicandTradeOffice.