7.
A related matter was raised by Dr. HO Kam-fai
as the main purpose of the proposed Bachelor of Education
degree programme is to help improve the development
potential and academic status of primary school principals.
He was certainly right in saying that the Panel of
Visitors and the Education Commission had both endorsed
this programme and I can assure him that the Administration
is looking into the staffing and grading implications of
this proposal with a view to enabling the University to
introduce this degree programme.
However additional
resources will be required for such a programme and this
may affect the timing of its introduction.
8.
Mr. CHEUNG Yan-lung has expressed his concerns
over the ability of Hong Kong students to obtain higher
education overseas particularly in UK now that the full
fees are being charged. Clearly a considerable part of
the problem should be eased over the years as our
programme of expanding tertiary education in Hong Kong
progresses. Meanwhile we have the Joint Funding Scheme
to which Mr. Cheung referred and he was worried that it
was assisting fewer students this academic year. This
scheme applies to the general public and is intended to
assist students pursuing or intending to pursue a higher
education in the UK by providing financial assistance
under a Joint Funding Scheme created by the UK and HK
Governments.
19.
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