Social Services
Housing
21.. Hong Kong's housing problem stems from a population now
8.5 times bigger than in 1945. The Government's aim is to
ensure that every family has a permanent self-contained home
at a rent or a price it can afford. At present over 40% of
the population live in public housing (in 509,000 flats) and
the Housing Authority is constructing about 37,000 flats a
year, including 7,000 for a Home Ownership Scheme. (Another
27-30,000 units a year are being constructed by the private
sector.) However, demand continues to exceed supply, and
there are still some 580,000 living in squatter areas, partly
due to the recent influx of immigrants.
Education
The Hong Kong
22. Nine years compulsory free education is provided for all.
The literacy rate is 83% (but for immigration it would be
nearer 100%). There are two universities with a total under-
graduate enrolment for the 1981-82 session of nearly 10,000
undergraduate students and 2,300 graduates.
Polytechnic provides higher education in mainly technical and
commercial subjects: 7,000 full-time and 18,200 part-time
students registered for the 1981-82 session. Planning has
started for a second Polytechnic. Three post-secondary
colleges provide courses for 7,500 students.
6
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