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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1993
COST RECOVERY RATE FOR DEGREE COURSES REASONABLE
THE RECENT FEE INCREASE BY TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IS NOT EXPECTED TO CREATE A BURDEN ON STUDENTS QUALIFYING FOR GRANTS AND LOANS, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, SAID.
HE SAID THIS WAS BECAUSE UNDER THE LOCAL STUDENT FINANCE SCHEME, THE LEVELS OF MAXIMUM GRANTS AND LOANS PROVIDED TO QUALIFIED STUDENTS WERE ADJUSTED ANNUALLY TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE ACTUAL INCREASE IN TUITION FEES, AS WELL AS THE PROJECTED INCREASES IN ACADEMIC AND LIVING EXPENSES.
CITING STATISTICS, MR LEUNG SAID THE AVERAGE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO STUDENTS FOR THE PERIOD 1991/92 TO 1993/94 HAD INCREASED FROM $16,594 TO $36,430, AN INCREASE OF 119.5 PER CENT, ALTHOUGH THE TERTIARY TUITION FEES FOR DEGREE COURSES HAD RISEN BY 70 PER CENT FROM $10,000 TO $17,000.
ALSO, THE NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS FOR GRANTS AND LOANS IN THIS PERIOD HAS RISEN 123 PER CENT AND 81.8 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY WHEREAS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FUNDS DISBURSED FOR GRANTS AND LOANS HAS INCREASED EVEN MORE SHARPLY FROM $197 MILLION TO $786 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF 299 PER CENT.
"IT IS OBVIOUS, THEREFORE, THAT THE AVERAGE STUDENT QUALIFYING FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE HAS ACTUALLY ENJOYED REAL INCREASES IN GRANTS AND LOANS OVER THE PERIOD, 甲申
MR LEUNG SAID WHEN REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LEE WING-TAT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
ASKED ABOUT THE RATIONALE FOR RECOVERING 18 PER CENT OF THE RECURRENT COST OF TERTIARY EDUCATION, THE SECRETARY SAID IT AIMED TO ACHIEVE A MORE EQUITABLE SHARE BETWEEN THE STUDENTS' FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY ON THE COST OF EDUCATING THEIR CHILDREN, AS WELL AS TỔ SEEK A REASONABLE CONTRIBUTION FROM THOSE WHO COULD AFFORD TO PAY.
HAVING TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE GENERALLY HIGHER COST RECOVERY RATES PREVAILING IN OTHER COUNTRIES, THE ENHANCED FUNDING FOR THE ACCELERATED EXPANSION OF TERTIARY EDUCATION, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY STUDENTS, THE POLICY TARGET OF ACHIEVING AN 18 PER CENT RECOVERY RATE BY 1997/98 IS CONSIDERED TO BE REASONABLE AND IS COMPARABLE WITH ACCEPTED RATES ELSEWHERE, MR LEUNG SAID.
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