XN000022-1996-11-27 — Page 38

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Provision of first-year first-degree places

Following is a question by Dr the Hon David Li and a written reply by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph W P Wong, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

It is learnt that a certain number of the existing 14,500 full-time first-degree places at the seven tertiary institutions funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC) will be allocated to the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIE) in an effort to boost teaching training. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council what effects the allocation of first-degree places to the HKIE will have on the first-degree places offered by the UGC-funded institutions?

Reply:

Mr President,

Our present policy is to provide a total of 14,500 first-year first-degree (FYFD) places to cater for at least 18% of the 17-20 age group population.

The planning process for the 1998-2001 triennium has only recently started and student number targets for individual University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded institutions and the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) have yet to be finalised.

Any FYFD places provided by the HKIEd (conditional upon external validation of the programmes by the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation), as well as any additional places to be offered by the UGC-funded institutions on new or existing courses in the 1998-2001 triennium, would be counted towards the overall target number. Some internal and inter-institutional redistribution of student numbers might be required and the effects would be examined by the UGC, in consultation with the institutions.

End