Mr Tung said yesterday the Government would consider increasing the number of first-degree courses offered by local universities. At the Legco session, he also said graduates of a new plan to create more than 30,000 higher and professional diplomas in the next 10 years would be given ample chance for further studies.

At present, only about 16 per cent of 18 to 20-year-olds are admitted to first-degree courses in universities. The official target was 18 per cent but with a freeze on university places since 1994, and a growth in population, the percentage had dropped.

Mr Tung also pledged to continue to implement measures to help ease the burden of people hit by the economic downturn. These include speeding up infrastructure development projects and increased spending on education, environment, municipal services and public hygiene to provide more opportunities for low-skilled workers.