'Tuition hike moderate but adds to students' burden'
A potential increase in university tuition fees has drawn mixed views from students and lawmakers. Sources said the government intends to roll out a phased fee increase over the next three years, with annual increments ranging from five to nine percent. Lucy Ng, a third-year student at the University of Hong Kong, said she wants her school to put the money to good use. "As a student, of course, I hope the school can keep the current tuition fee. But if our school insists to have this increase, I hope they can explain how they will use this fee. Are they going to build any new facilities?" she told RTHK. Another HKU student, Emily, who majors in social work, said a tuition hike would increase the financial burden on students who rely on loans, such as herself. "I'm currently taking the government loan... They are burdened with the loans, so they have to repay in many years when they work.  "It will definitely enhance the financial burden of students, so I don't think it's a very good act for the university to increase tuition fees." Lawmaker Lau Chi-peng, who’s also Associate Vice-President at Lingnan University, described the proposed increase as moderate.  "There are two considerations: whether it would impose a burden on students and families, as well as the magnitude of the increase.  "It appears that the increase would be moderate and the process would be gradual. There would also be corresponding adjustments in government financial assistance, which could potentially involve extending the repayment period," Lau said.  Education sector lawmaker Chu Kwok-keung urged the government to consider the affordability of students and parents before finalising the tuition proposal, to prevent “turning student loans into student debts.” Lawmaker Priscilla Leung of the Business and Professionals Alliance, who chairs Legco's education panel, called on society to accept the increase, in light of the government's budget deficit amounting to billions of dollars.