Speech – Improving the implementation of the education policy and allocating additional funding for education (Abraham Shek)

Deputy President, Secretary, if I may just quote a famous saying by a British gentleman: “Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.” Another French philosopher said, “Education made us what we are.” We are today for what education made us.

Question – Quality of sub-degree programme graduates (Abraham Shek)

It has been reported that according to the Survey on Opinions of Employers on Major Aspects of Performance of Sub-degree Graduates in Year 2010 released recently by the Education Bureau, the score for the overall performance of those graduates as assessed by employers has hit a record low among the same surveys over the past decade. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council…

BPA’s Response to the 2014 Policy Address

In his concluding remark for of the Policy Address, the Chief Executive stressed that it was “imperative to pursue people’s livelihood and the economy in tandem”. This is a belief that is, to a large extent, shared by the BPA. It is however disappointing to note that the reference to economic development is not sufficiently reflected in the contents of the Policy Address, namely, the strategies for economic development are fragmented and piecemeal while the needs of the middle class and SMEs, who are the major contributors to Hong Kong’s economy, have been overlooked.

Question – International school places (Jeffrey Lam)

Some members of the business sector have relayed to me that the shortage of international school places in the Hong Kong, in particular primary school places on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon, has deterred quite a number of talents interested in developing their career in Hong Kong from doing so as they are worried of being unable to find suitable schools in Hong Kong for their children. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council…

Question – Postgraduate Certificate in Laws programmes offered by universities (Abraham Shek)

A report of the Steering Committee on the Review of Legal Education and Training released in August 2001 recommended that the postgraduate qualification programme, namely Post Graduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL), be discontinued and a free-standing institution be established, preferably in its own premises, to conduct a course of practical vocational preparation for law graduates seeking to be admitted as barristers or solicitors in Hong Kong.

Question – Efforts to reduce inter-generational poverty (Abraham Shek)

A study report released by the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) in January 2013 indicated that in 2011, Hong Kong children from families in the top 10% income bracket were more likely (3.7 times) to receive university education than those from families earning half of the median household income or less.