XN000022-1977-06-01 — Page 18

16

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1977

HIGHER EDUCATION TO COST GOVT $1,300M

OVER NEXT TRIENNIUM 1978-81

*******

OVER THE NEXT THREE FINANCIAL YEARS BETWEEN 1978-79 AND 1980-81 THE TOTAL COST TO PUBLIC FUNDS FOR THE TWO UNIVERSITIES AND THE POLYTECHNIC WOULD BE ABOUT $1,300 MILLION, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE, THE HON. JOHN BREMRIDGE, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

BY THEN THE TOTAL FULL-TIME STUDENT POPULATION IN THE THREE HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTIONS WOULD HAVE RISEN TO NEARLY 20,000, MR. BREMRIDGE PREDICTED IN A SPEECH ON THE SPECIAL REPORT OF THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE FOR THE PERIOD 1965-76.

TEN YEARS AGO THE FULL-TIME STUDENT POPULATION OF THE TWO UNIVERSITIES WAS 3,912, AND THE POLYTECHNIC WAS ONLY A SCHEME OF VISIONARIES. TODAY HONG KONG UNIVERSITY HAS A FULL-TIME STUDENT POPULATION OF 4,036- CHINESE UNIVERSITY 4,171- AND THE POLYTECHNIC 7,760 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT. THE TOTAL, INCLUDING PART-TIME DAY AND EVENING STUDENTS, IS ABOUT 16,000.

THE TOTAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON THE TWO UNIVERSITIES IN 1965-66 WAS $33 MILLION. IN 1975-76 AND NOW INCLUDING THE POLYTECHNIC IT WAS $320 MILLION.

MR. BREMRIDGE SAID THAT SUCH +EXPLOSIVE INCREASES+ REQUIRED THE MOST SENSITIVE HANDLING BY THE TWO VICE CHANCELLORS AND THE DIRECTOR.

+

BUT, HE ADDED, EVEN MORE REMARKABLE HAS BEEN THE FINANCE THAT GOVERNMENT HAS PROVIDED OVER A PERIOD WHEN THERE HAS BEEN GREAT FINANCIAL STRINGENCY, AND WHEN ISSUES OF PRIORITIES HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT.+

+ALL THIS MONEY HAS BEEN FUNNELLED THROUGH THE GRANTS COMITTEE AND IT IS RIGHT TO NOTE GRATEFULLY THAT THOSE IN GOVERNMENT WITH ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN THAT LONG TERM VIEW WHICH IS PARTICULARLY ESSENTIAL IN EDUCATION.

+1 EMPHASISE THE OFFICIAL SIDE, BECAUSE THE UPGC IS REALLY ONLY AN ADVISORY BODY (THOUGH WITH SOME EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS) OPERATING AMIDST SHOT AND SHELL IN THE NO MAN'S LAND BETWEEN THE RIGHTLY, MAY I SAY VEHEMENTLY, AUTONOMOUS INSTITUTIONS AND THE GOVERNMENT AND IT IS THE GOVERNMENT WHICH MUST HAVE THE LAST SAY IN ALL FINANCIAL MATTERS -- SUBJECT OF COURSE TO THE CONSENT OF THIS COUNCIL, + HE SAID.

TERTIARY EDUCATION IN HONG KONG IS AT A TURNING POINT, MR. BREMRIDGE NOTED, AND THERE EXIST WIDELY AND HONESTLY DIFFERENT VIEWS,

THE