XN000022-1995-03-01 — Page 73

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Applications to defer payment of tuition fees

Following is a question by the Hon Cheung Man-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Michael Leung, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

With regard to the issue concerning students of Government funded tertiary institutions applying to defer payment of their tuition, will the Government inform this Council :-

(a)

(b)

(c)

of the number of students who have applied to defer payment of their tuition, as well as the proportion of such students to the total number of students, in each of the past three years;

whether the deadline for payment of tuition was set at a date before the completion of the vetting of the students' applications for grants and loans, resulting in some students having to apply to the institutions for deferment of payment of their tuition, particularly those relying on the grants and loans to pay their tuition; and

if the answer to (b) is in the affirmative, whether the Government regards the situation of students applying for deferment of payment of their tuition as an indicator reflecting their affordability to pay the tuition; if so, whether it will review the rate of increase of tertiary tuition; if not, whether it can provide any explanation in regard to the problem of students applying for deferment of their tuition mentioned above?

Reply:

Mr President,

(a)

Tuition fees are paid direct to the institutions and the institutions themselves have the authority to grant approval for applications to defer payment. Information on the situation for the three previous years supplied by the institutions is as follows -