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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1990
U.K. INCREASE EDUCATION CONTRIBUTION TO 2.2M POUND STERLING
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THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAVE DECIDED TO INCREASE ITS ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION ΤΟ 2.2 MILLION POUND STERLING TO THE JOINT FUNDING SCHEME TO PROVIDE FEE SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG STUDENTS PURSUING STUDIES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, MR FRANCIS MAUDE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING ΤΟ REPORTERS AFTER A VISIT TO THE CITY POLYTECHNIC THIS MORNING, MR MAUDE SAID THE 10 PER CENT INCREASE IN THE CONTRIBUTION WOULD BE EFFECTIVE FROM THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR.
"THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THEY WILL INCREASE THEIR CONTRIBUTION BY THE SAME AMOUNT," HE SAID.
"THE UNITED KINGDOM GOVERNMENT ARE VERY KEEN TO ENCOURAGE CLOSER LINKS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND BRITAIN IN ALL FIELDS. EDUCATION IS ONE FIELD IN WHICH WE ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED, THE MINISTER SAID.
"THAT IS WHY WE INTRODUCED IN 1983, A SCHEME WHICH IS JOINTLY FUNDED WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE FEE SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG STUDENTS WHO WISH TO PURSUE THEIR STUDIES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, MR MAUDE SAID.
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HE SAID SINCE 1983, THE NUMBER OF HONG KONG STUDENTS WHO HAD TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE SCHEME HAD INCREASED TO ABOUT 1,600 A YEAR, THE BENEFICIARIES COMING FROM FAMILIES WITH A RELATIVELY LOW DISPOSABLE INCOME.
MR MAUDE POINTED OUT THAT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS MEASURE, WHICH PLAYED A USEFUL ROLE IN MAKING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO A CROSS SECTION
THE COMMUNITY, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO INCREASE ITS CONTRIBUTION,
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"THIS IS YET ANOTHER INDICATION OF THE SORT OF SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT WHICH HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT IS GIVING то HONG KONG, WORKING CLOSELY IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO WORK FOR ITS FUTURE," HE SAID.
HAVING SPOKEN TO A GROUP OF STUDENTS AT THE CITY POLYTECHNIC DURING HIS VISIT, MR MAUDE SAID HE WAS HUGELY IMPRESSED BY THEIR ABILITY, ENTHUSIASM AND CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE.
"IT'S THAT CONFIDENCE, THAT SELF-CONFIDENCE, THAT HONG KONG CAN ADAPT AND BUILD A FUTURE THAT IS GOING TO MAKE A GOOD DEAL OF DIFFERENCE, MR MAUDE SAID.
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