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Some members of the public and legislators have been pressing the government to provide more government-funded university places. Paradoxically, providing more government-funded university places won't solve the apparent "need" for more university places.

Every year, tens of thousands of students who apply for admission to Hong Kong's universities are disappointed. This year, more than 82,000 students sat for the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) examination. Of this, 71,000 were secondary school students, intent on getting a place in Hong Kong's universities. Roughly 40 percent of them met minimum requirements for university admission, but only 18 percent could get into government-funded universities. Many students would have to seek university education overseas. Many others would go to private universities. But many continue to be disappointed, and have to go to non-government funded, costly community colleges. Unfortunately, the investment may not benefit them materially at all. Graduates from community colleges may not have much advantage in the job market and may not get higher salaries, and only a trickle could "articulate" into universities - i.e., get admission into the second year under very limited quotas made available by the universities. It is heartbreaking to see a disappointed student who tried very hard killing herself for failing to get into university.

However, creating more government-funded university places will not take away the pressure from students at all. Paradoxically it is more likely to increase pressure. Decades ago, the University of Hong Kong was the only university in Hong Kong, and only 2 percent of each cohort of students gained a university place. Competition then was extremely keen, certainly many times greater than it is today. Yet the pressures on students were less. This is because almost everyone that you knew could not get a university place. Failing to get a university place was normal. Committing suicide for not getting into university was unheard of. Today, by contrast, seeing many of one's peers get into university makes some students feel that not getting a university place is a shame. The psychological pressures on students have therefore grown tremendously. Creating more government-funded places could therefore make matters worse - unless so many places are created that everyone could get in.

As an educator, I am of course all in favor of making university education available to as many students who aspire to get one. So I applaud the effort of all those who provide high-quality courses and lectures online or through the television. The Open University is doing this, and many universities overseas, including some very prestigious one such as the MIT and Harvard, are also doing this.

Because university places are already relatively easy to obtain, unfortunately many students do not really value their university places. Many would just put in minimal effort, just enough to graduate and get the degree. Their focus is no longer on the education. The main advantage of real universities is that students can discuss with their professors, but typically very few students ever come to ask questions or to discuss anything. Several years ago I did encounter an exception. A student of mine came to see me from time to time, and our discussions covered all kinds of areas from economics and politics to philosophy and human behavior. I was happy to spend that time with him, but I realize that I really cannot afford to do the same with many students. But he certainly took advantage of his university place. He went onto law school after getting a degree at Lingnan, with my very strong recommendation and certainly with very impressive performances at interviews.

So, while I believe that university education is good and should be made available to anyone who aspires to get one, I do not believe offering more university places is the answer. We need to change people's attitudes, and to educate young people that university education does not lie in just getting a certificate that attests to one's having a degree. University education is real education: learning to think critically and with an open mind, learning to engage in meaningful dialogues with people, learning to identify goals and to work hard to achieve them. Young people need to learn that their self worth lies in being truthful and earnest with their lives. It does not lie in just getting a degree.

The author is director of the Center for Public Policy Studies at Lingnan University.

(HK Edition 09/10/2013 page1)