Hong Kong leader’s policy address ‘acceptable’ but not enough action for undergrads and the elderly, says HKU professor
HKU professor says Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s heavy focus on “One Belt, One Road” strategy should focus on how it will benefit the local community
Paul Yip Siu-fai, professor from the University of Hong Kong’s department of social work and social administration, comments on the latest policy address announced by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying this morning:
I find the policy address this time acceptable and satisfying. It is right to emphasise on the idea of smart city and big data, which is vital in improving policy formulation and review.
In terms of population policy, instead of attracting people from the outside, the government had to think of ways how to retain our own professionals not leaving. Highlighting the importance of being a smart city is one of the ways to make Hong Kong more competitive and keep talents in the city.
Improving kindergarten education would also help, but the policy address this time has not mentioned much on enhancing tertiary education. While there are around 70,000 students attending the Diploma of Secondary Education examination each year, only some 14,000 of them can enter university for undergraduate programmes. The government should do more on this aspect. University admission rates in other developed countries are higher than the 18 per cent in Hong Kong.