Christine Choi: Increase in university fees will not be accomplished in one step

Secretary for Education Christine Choi said in a radio program today (June 17) that the government had promised to target a cost recovery rate of 18% for university tuition fees, but the current university tuition fees have not been adjusted since the 1996/97 academic year, and the target recovery rate is only about 13%, and she said that tuition fees would be increased, but not in one go.

Choi said that tuition fee increase would not be achieved in one step, but would be implemented in a gradual and orderly manner, taking into account the burden of different families, and she believed that the rate of increase would be reasonable in the end.

She added that the authorities hoped to announce the tuition fee increase one year in advance to give the community time to adapt, while institutions may increase student scholarships and grants, and the Student Financial Assistance Agency will also increase student allowances and loans in response to the adjustment of tuition fees.