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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 1980
HK MAKES REPRESENTATION TO UK OVER TUITION FEE INCREASES
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE REPRESENTATIONS TO THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE OVER THE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED INCREASES IN TUITION FEES AT BRITISH UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON E.P. HO, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON ANDREW SO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR HO HOPED THE REPRESENTATIONS WOULD RECEIVE SYMPATHETIC CONSIDERATION IN LONDON,
MR HO SAID THAT SINCE THE ANNOUNCEMENT LAST AUTUMN HE AND THE HONG KONG COMMISSIONER IN LONDON HAD BEEN MAKING STRENUOUS EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH THE CRITERIA BY WHICH CLASSIFICATION AS HOME AND OVERSEAS STUDENTS WAS DETERMINED.
*THE POSITION IS COMPLICATED BY THE FACT THAT DECISIONS ON CLASSIFICATION ARE MADE BY INDIVIDUAL UNIVERSITIES OR COLLEGES, BUT FROM THE BEST INFORMATION AVAILABLE IT APPEARS THAT STUDENTS FROM HONG KONG WHO HAVE SPENT THREE YEARS OR MORE IN BRITAIN TAKING 'O' AND 'A' LEVEL COURSES ARE CLASSIFIED AS 'HOME' STUDENTS, AS ARE STUDENTS FROM FAMILIES OF UNITED KINGDOM ORIGIN WORKING TEMPORARILY IN HONG KONG. OTHER STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO PAY THE NEW RATES AS OVERSEAS STUDENTS,+ MR HO SAID.
+THE GOVERNMENT FEELS THAT HONG KONG'S POSITION AS A DEPENDENT TERRITORY ENTITLES OUR STUDENTS TO NO LESS FAVOURABLE TREATMENT THAN STUDENTS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES WHO ARE ALSO GRANTED THE SAME STATUS AS 'HOME' STUDENTS, HE ADDED.
THE PROPOSED INCREASES IN TUITION FEES WILL APPLY WITH EFFECT FROM THE COMING AUTUMN TO THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE CLASSIFIED AS OVERSEAS STUDENTS, AND WHO WILL BE COMMENCING THE IR COURSES OF STUDY THEREAFTER.
STUDENTS WHO ARE ALREADY STUDYING IN THESE INSTITUTIONS WILL CONTINUE TO PAY FEES ON THE CURRENT BASIS.
MR HO SAID THE NEW FEES WERE INTENDED TO REFLECT THE FULL COST OF TUITION AT BRITISH TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS.
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