26
(each year compared with the previous year). Apart from the effects of
inflation on prices, much of the additional expenditure has arisen from
the cost of qualitative improvements: in 1981-82, for example, it is
estimated that a total of $12.7 million will be required for the opening,
for the first time, of Form IV places in prevocational schools, together
with the introduction of new subjects (engineering science and electronics)
at this level, for the expansion of practical and technical subjects in
Forms IV and V, and for the appointment of a consultant to advise on the
- establishment of an Institute of Language in Education aimed at improving
language teaching (see chapter 7). All of these projects are in line with
a major objective of the 1978 White Paper - a qualitative improvement in
curriculum development and teacher education.
5.48
However, as the table in paragraph 5.6 shows, the proportion of
total government expenditure allocated to education has been declining
since 1975-76 (19.6 per cent in 1975-76 compared with 14.5 per cent in
the 1981-82 estimates), although within the social services group this is
offset to a considerable extent by the increasing allocation to housing
(rising from 8.5 per cent in 1976-77 to 18.9 per cent in the 1980-81
revised estimates).
Government expenditure on education as a proportion
of expenditure on Gross Domestic Product has been slightly under 3 per cent
for some years.
However, private expenditure on education in Hong Kong is
very considerable, with 100 per cent private provision of places in the
kindergarten sector, 12.5 per cent in the primary sector, and 3.7 per cent in
the junior secondary, 61.0 per cent in the senior secondary and 46.2 per cent
in the sixth-form sectors. At the tertiary level private expenditure arises
from the provision of places in various post-secondary institutions, including
the approved post-secondary colleges and various schools registered under the
Education Ordinance. A reliable estimate of private education expenditure
!
}