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In addition to government schools, those schools in Hong Kong which are
entirely maintained and controlled by the Crown in right of Her Majesty's
Government in the United Kingdom (for example, schools provided for the
children of members of the armed forces serving in Hong Kong) are also
exempt from the provisions of the Education Ordinance and no further
account is taken of them in this report.
3.7
Although the Polytechnic and both universities are self-
governing corporations, they draw their income mainly from government
grants. The financing of the three institutions is under the administrative
control of the University and Polytechnic Grants Committee (UFGC), the
terms of reference of which are
-
"To keep under review in the light of the community's needs
(a) the facilities for university and polytechnic
education in Hong Kong;
(b)
such plans for development of the universities
and the Polytechnic as may be required from
time to time;
(c) the financial needs of university and polytechnic
education; and
to advise Government on the application of such funds as may
be approved by the legislature for university and polytechnic
education."
The UPGC is appointed by the Governor. There is no government
representation on it although its secretariat is staffed by civil
servants.
Block grants are provided over a planning period of three
The government indicates to the UPGC the extent
years (a 'triennium').
and direction of development over the period and, specifically, student
targets. The universities and the Polytechnic discuss their plans for
achieving this development with the UPGC which then makes recommendations