Not all Hong Kong students get the same opportunities. Children from low-income families might be eager to learn but financial restrictions mean they do not get the same chances as students from more wealthy families. Even though the government provides nine years of free education, there are still many inequities when it comes to education. Cheng Yi-pang, 21, a physics student at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, lives in Tin Shui Wai. 'I never had a new textbook,' he says, recalling his secondary education. 'Since new books were too expensive, we always had to buy older textbooks. Also, while more wealthy families could hire professional tutors, all we could do was ask our classmates for help.' Cheng says all underprivileged students have to rely on hard work and being proactive about learning. 'Wealthier students also often have more time to study. Low-income families may have more urgent priorities.' When asked for his opinion about school debentures, Cheng says: 'Hong Kong is a commercial city; in a sense, the survival of the fittest.'
