7
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1994
PAY
A FEW MEMBERS HAVE QUERIED WHY STUDENTS SHOULD BE ASKED TO PART
HAVE
CONTROL. THE INSTITUTIONS' COSTS, OVER WHICH THEY
NO THIS CONCERNS THE QUESTION OF COST-EFFECTIVENESS. THE UPGC, AS PART OF THEIR ROLE IN ADVISING THE GOVERNMENT ON THE APPLICATION OF PUBLIC FUNDS TO TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS, MONITORS THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF THE IN INSTITUTIONS' DELIVERY OF THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES. THIS IS DONE
NUMBER OF WAYS, INCLUDING THE EXAMINATION OF THE INSTITUTIONS' TRIENNIAL ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANS, THROUGH PERIODIC VISITS TO INSTITUTIONS TO REVIEW THEIR ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES AND FACILITIES, THE STUDY OF REGULAR REPORTS, STATISTICAL AND FINANCIAL RETURNS ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE INSTITUTIONS' ACTIVITIES.
THE THE UPGC IS NOW IN
PROCESS OF
A
THE
AND
REVIEWING THE METHODOLOGY FOR ASSESSMENT OF RECURRENT FUNDING FOR ALLOCATION TO THE SEVEN INSTITUTIONS. IT AIMS TO RELATE FUNDING MORE CLOSELY TO QUALITY, OUTPUT AND PERFORMANCE IN TEACHING, RESEARCH AND SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY. IN SHORT, UPGC-FUNDED INSTITUTIONS' COST-EFFECTIVENESS ARE SUBJECT TO SYSTEMATIC MONITORING BY THE UPGC, AND THE SYSTEM WILL BE FURTHER IMPROVED WHEN THE NEW FUNDING MODEL, WHICH IS NOW BEING DEVELOPED, WILL BE IN PLACE LATER THIS YEAR.
OUR
A
FEW,
HOWEVER, SHOULD QUESTION THE PRINCIPLE OF COST RECOVERY. HONG KONG IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY LOW TAX ECONOMY. LESS THAN HALF OF WORKING POPULATION PAY SALARIES TAX. WE THEREFORE HAVE TO MAKE REASONABLE CHARGE FOR OUR SERVICES, SOMETIMES AT COST WHEN IT COMES TO COMMERCIAL SERVICES, AND VERY OFTEN AT A SUBSTANTIAL DISCOUNT WHERE SOCIAL SERVICES ARE INVOLVED. THE "USER PAYS" PRINCIPLE HELPS TO KEEP USE OUR TAX RATES DOWN, REDUCES WASTAGE, AND ENABLES A MORE EFFICIENT IN RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THE REAL QUESTION THEN WHETHER THE CURRENT COST RECOVERY POLICY IS CREATING UNDUE HARDSHIPS TO OUR TERTIARY STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
IN
IS
OF
HERE I COME TO THE SECOND POINT. THAT IS THE EFFECTIVENESS OUR STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SCHEME. THE STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SCHEME IS A MEANS-TESTED SCHEME WHICH PROVIDES ASSISTANCE ARE IN THE
WHO FORM OF GRANTS AND LOANS TO ELIGIBLE STUDENTS FINANCIAL NEEDS. THE GRANTS ARE INTENDED TO COVER TUITION FEES, ACADEMIC EXPENSES AND STUDENT UNION FEES. THEY ARE AUTOMATICALLY REVISED
AND EACH
TUITION YEAR, IN LINE WITH THE ACTUAL INCREASE IN FEES. UNION
LIVING THE LOANS ARE INTENDED TO HELP TOWARDS STUDENTS' AND PERSONAL EXPENSES. THEY ARE ALSO ADJUSTED IN LINE WITH INCREASES IN
PRICE INDEX.
STUDENTS' LIVING EXPENSES AS MEASURED BY A STUDENT BOTH GRANTS AND LOANS UNDER THE STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SCHEME ARE NOT SUBJECT TO CASH LIMITS BY GOVERNMENT. IN OTHER WORDS, WE WILL PROVIDE AS MUCH MONEY FOR THESE LOANS AND GRANTS AS THE NEEDY STUDENTS REQUIRE AND CAN JUSTIFY.
73%. SIMILARLY,
LET
SCHEME US NOW LOOK AT THE ACTUAL STATISTICS TO SEE IF THE 1S CATERING FOR THE STUDENTS' NEEDS SUFFICIENTLY. BETWEEN THE CURRENT IN UPGC- AND LAST ACADEMIC YEAR, THE TUITION FEE FOR DEGREE COURSES
MADE BUT THE AVERAGE GRANT FUNDED INSTITUTIONS HAS INCREASED BY 47%. TO THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS HAS BEEN INCREASED BY THE AVERAGE LOAN HAS ALSO BEEN INCREASED BY THE SAME 1993-94, THE AVERAGE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT RECEIVED $15,000 AND $21,000 IN LOAN, COMPARED TO THEIR DEGREE COURSE TUITION $17,000. THE COMPARABLE FIGURES IN 1992-93 WERE $8,700 IN
IT IS OBVIOUS FROM $12,000
LOAN, AND $11,600 IN TUITION FEES. THESE FIGURES THAT ELIGIBLE STUDENTS HAVE INDEED BEEN BETTER OFF AFTER THE FEE INCREASE.
IN
MAGNITUDE. IN IN GRANT FEE OF GRANT,
/THIS IS
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