XN000022-1996-02-06 — Page 16

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"We intend to maintain tuition fees for degree courses at 18 per cent of the recurrent costs of tertiary education thereafter, which we consider to be a reasonable balance in sharing the costs between the students and the community."

The actual fee levels for 1996-97 and the indicative fee levels for the three subsequent academic years from 1997-98 to 1999-2000 are given as follows:

* Recurrent cost

recovery rate

Academic

Year

Degree

Sub-degree

course

course

% increase in fee over preceding year

on degree courses

Actual fee

1996-97

$37,350

$28,000

21.5%

16.5%

Indicative fees

1997-98

$43,100

$32,325

15.4%

18.0%

1998-99

$47,150

$35,365

9.5%

18.0%

1999-2000

$51,650

$38,740

9.5%

18.0%

Fees for Sub-degree courses are set at 75% of those for degree courses.

The figures indicated that the rate of annual increase was expected to level off in the years leading up to the end of the century, the spokesman said.

To ensure that no qualified student would be denied a tertiary place due to a lack of means, a number of significant improvements have been made to the system of student financial assistance, the most recent of which was the introduction of the Extended Loan Scheme (ELS) in October 1995.

It is estimated that in 1995-96, some 64 per cent of the total student population will receive assistance. The students will receive an estimated average of $22,977 in grants and/or $23,603 in loans.

More than 6,000 students will also benefit from the ELS. Among them, about 1,000 students who will otherwise fail to qualify for any assistance will receive an estimated average loan of $13,550 under the scheme.

While tertiary tuition fees have risen, so has the level of average grants provided by the Government to help students meet their fee payment and academic expenses.

The increase in student grants and loans between 1990-91 and 1995-96 have generally kept up with the increases in tuition fees and the costs of living.