62
EDUCATION
Post-Secondary Education
A college can be registered under the Post-Secondary Colleges Ordinance only when the Director of Education is satisfied with its academic standards, governing body, constitution, finance, educational facilities, the number and qualifications of staff, and the conditions for admitting students. The Hong Kong Baptist College and the Hong Kong Shue Yan College are the only institutions registered under this ordinance. The Hong Kong Baptist College, built on a site granted by the government, was registered in 1970. It has four faculties - arts, business, social sciences, and natural sciences and engineering - with an enrolment of about 3,400 students. Fifteen depart- ments cover 18 major fields in three types of courses. The college receives some financial support from the government in the form of an interest-bearing loan and students may apply for government-financed interest-free loans to help pay tuition fees. The Hong Kong Shue Yan College, registered in January, 1976, also is built on land made available by the government. It consists of three faculties - arts, social sciences and commerce with a total of 10 departments. The college offers day and evening courses and has a total enrolment of about 1,900.
―
-
A number of private day and evening schools offer varying standards of post- secondary courses. None of these schools receives aid from the government.
Higher Education
Grants and interest-free loans for needy students at the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong are provided from public funds under a government scheme introduced in the 1969-70 academic year. The scheme, adminis- tered by a joint universities' committee, ensures that lack of means does not prevent students'from taking up places in either of the two universities. The amount of public funds available for student financing has increased substantially over the years. For 1977-8, $6.8 million in grants and $23.4 million in interest-free loans has been provided.
The student financing scheme was extended to Hong Kong Polytechnic students in 1976-7. Some $1.1 million in grants and $14.6 million in loans were provided by the government for polytechnic students in 1977-8. The grants and loans are admin- istered by the Polytechnic Committee on Student Finance.
Both universities and the polytechnic have some financial resources of their own, but are largely financed by the government. Because of the importance attached to developing university and polytechnic facilities - and the sums of public money in- volved - the government relies on a University and Polytechnic Grants Committee appointed by the Governor to provide impartial and expert advice on the amount of finance required to develop or sustain any level of higher education activity. The committee also advises government on the allocation of funds among the universities and the polytechnic.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic
The Hong Kong Polytechnic was formally established in 1972, when it took over the work of the former Hong Kong Technical College. The bulk of the polytechnic's finances comes from the government through the University and Polytechnic Grants Committee.