SOSC 103DSocial Inequality in HK

Lecture 23: Education Expansion in Hong

Kong

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Education

Education and Equality of Opportunities Macro: Maintain a fair and open system Micro: Obtain social mobility within the system

Education policies and Modes of mobility

Sponsored mode (England)

Contest mode (American)

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2 modes of mobility Product of social (folk) norms

The accepted mode of upward mobility shapes the school system

Determine the development of education policies Affect social ethos and norms Legitimate the social control

Affect children and parents’ ethos and decisions

Individuals’ strategies within the school system Inequalities in both of the school systems

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Educational Expansion

Major expansion after WWII

Main Aim: Increase educational opportunities for all Provide equal footing of competition

Results of the expansion: From Elite-oriented system to Mass-oriented

system

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How about Hong Kong?

2 stages of education expansion:

1. During the 1970s expansion of the lower level of education introduction of compulsory education 1971: 6 years of primary education 1978: additional 3 years of secondary

education

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1966 Star Ferry Riot

5 cents fare increase

Grievance under the colonial rules

Empowered by the revolutions (e.g. PRC)

A group of unruly youth

A long running fear of youth

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A long running fear of youth (cont’)

Reservoir of youth sentiments

(1966 report): Reality: Post-war population

composition Recommendation:

channel the energy prevent delinquency invest in grammar schools and

vocational trainings

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Education expansion in HK (con’t)

2. During the 1980s and 1990s: expansion of tertiary education increase the number of universities increase the number of tertiary institutes proportion of students in tertiary education

(3% ~ 2,000 20%) Various financial assistance scheme for

students in higher education

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Social context

Pre-handover period: Brain-drain (emigration)

Rose garden project

Post-handover period: Economic downturn

Increased (youth unemployment rate)

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Results of education expansion

Credential society (Randall Collins, 1979) Distortion of education Examination and degree-oriented

Inflation of credential Imbalance in demand and supply Waste of resources Continuous inflation

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Results of education expansion (cont’)

Composition of University Students in 1981 and 2001 (David Post, 2003 p.558)

44.1%

20.7%

15.3%

19.8%

19.9%

17.6%

24.2%

38.4%

Poorest quarter

Lower middle quarter

Upper middle quarter

Richest quarter

Persistent inequality

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Readings:

David Post (2003) “Post-Secondary Education in Hong Kong,” in Asian Survey, 43(6): 989-1011