Cross-border study scheme criticised
Cross-border study scheme described by lawmakers as an education 'trap'
The government was criticised for a pilot scheme that encourages Hongkongers to attend mainland universities to earn degrees which may not help their career prospects.
It was as if the government had “lured someone into a trap” by introducing a scheme that may not lead to a proper academic qualification, legislator Leung Yiu-chung said during a meeting of the Legislative Council’s education panel on Tuesday.
Education Bureau officials acknowledged on Tuesday that a mainland degree is treated differently from a local one by many prospective employers.
The programme was launched last year by Premier Li Keqiang, on a visit to Hong Kong, as one of Beijing’s many “support measures” for the city.
About 900 Hong Kong students were enrolled at 63 mainland universities this year under the programme. It allows the city’s secondary school graduates to enter tertiary institutions without taking the normal entrance exams.
Undersecretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said mainland degrees fall into the “non-local” category by prospective employers in the public service – and possibly in the private sector.