The Hong Kong government, in its role as financier of universities, has a duty to ensure those institutions are providing a service that fits the needs of the SAR.
The question the Secretary for Education and Manpower, as overseer of the universities, needs to ask is whether the present eight universities can adequately fulfil those needs now and in the future.
In the last university intake, only one in four Form Seven students were able to gain entry to a local institution. Many unsuccessful applicants were forced to go overseas for their studies.
The citizens who, through taxes, financially support the universities should be able to see their children attend them. The need for higher education has become even more critical as Hong Kong undergoes the transition to a knowledge-based economy. When compared against the 60 per cent of United States school students who attend a university in their country, Hong Kong's 25 per cent seems alarmingly low.
Therefore Hong Kong should create many more higher learning opportunities.
The government should commit Hong Kong to becoming a place where most of its citizens are well educated.
