The government took the machete to university funding in February, not only by announcing an expected 2 per cent cut over the next three years during the budget speech, but also with the University Grants Committee dropping the bombshell that the eight public universities would have to return HK$4 billion (US$510.7 million) from their reserves.
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How the government means to realise its ambition of developing Hong Kong as an international hub for post-secondary education while cutting finding remains a mystery; we can only have faith that the universities will figure out how to make ends meet.
Given the government’s fiscal resolve towards tertiary education, however, it should come as no surprise that it has no qualms about slashing a major grant to public primary and secondary schools too.
Last week, Education Bureau officials met school representatives to propose a 10 per cent cut in the Expanded Operating Expenses Block Grant. Furthermore, schools under the direct subsidy scheme, which are considered semi-private, could face a 2 per cent funding reduction.
Taking into consideration other recent developments, the government is putting serious heat on schools. Even with the encouraging news of the inflow of new students, members of families that have settled in Hong Kong via various talent schemes, schools might have to fight to survive.
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In March, the Education Bureau announced new rules that would limit survival options for under-enrolled, government-funded primary schools. Early in May, an adviser to the government questioned the worsening performance of students and teachers, despite an increase in resources in recent years.