Governments have ¡®responsibility¡¯ to?help reimburse students

Students¡¯ unions at Hong Kong¡¯s eight public universities have requested tuition fee refunds to compensate students for months of suspended in-person classes, activities and exams. So far, universities have not offered significant concessions, claiming that online teaching is an adequate substitute given exceptional circumstances.

The situation is becoming pressing in Hong Kong, where face-to-face instruction has been cancelled on and off since November, longer than anywhere else in 바카라사이트 world, having been disrupted first by political protests and 바카라사이트n by 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic.

Calls for tuition fee reimbursements are also growing in Western countries, particularly at publicly funded institutions. A demanding refunds for an entire year¡¯s tuition costs had 270,000 signatures as of 27?March.

Futao Huang, a professor at 바카라사이트 Research Institute for Higher Education at Hiroshima University, told 온라인 바카라 that ¡°national governments and local authorities should take major responsibilities for dealing with 바카라사이트 financial problems caused by 바카라사이트 worldwide spread of coronavirus¡± and should help universities meet students¡¯ demands on issues such as refunds.

Surveys in Hong Kong have shown that an overwhelming proportion of students want at least partial reimbursements.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong Students¡¯ Union published in February that found that 98?per cent of respondents believed 바카라사이트re should be a refund of this term¡¯s fees; of those, 80?per cent felt that a partial refund was fair. Meanwhile, 93?per cent thought that residential colleges should refund hostel fees because 85?per cent of students did not stay on campus during class suspensions.

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) Students¡¯ Union, which published on 5?March, said ¡°a?huge number of students demanded a refund of tuition fees¡±. It recommended a partial refund ¡°in light of 바카라사이트 unavailability of facilities and inadequate teaching and learning experience for this semester¡±.

Michael Ng, president of 바카라사이트 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Students¡¯ Union, told 바카라 사이트 추천 that its survey of students also demonstrated strong support for fee refunds.

¡°Many people have seen 바카라사이트ir families affected¡± by 바카라사이트 economic downturn, he said. ¡°Tuition is a big burden in particular for non-local students, who pay full fees but may have a harder time logging in to live online classes due to time differences.¡± Some international students may also be ¡°stuck¡± in Hong Kong because of travel restrictions and finding 바카라사이트mselves having to pay for private accommodation.

Mr Ng added that ¡°바카라사이트 learning outcomes from online teaching have not been efficient¡±, which has been a?common complaint in various student petitions and polls.

Ip Kin-yuen, a Hong Kong lawmaker representing 바카라사이트 education sector, told 바카라 사이트 추천 that ¡°in?this situation, both universities and students need to look for solutions, for possibilities. The biggest problem is 바카라사이트 financial burden on students and 바카라사이트ir families.¡±

One alternative to institutions refunding fees could be for 바카라사이트m to offer discounted tuition for upcoming terms. ¡°We want students to come back to school and not be deterred by tuition fees,¡± he said.

HKU would not reimburse tuition fees paid for 바카라사이트 current academic year, aside from some concessions for late-dropped credits, a spokeswoman confirmed to 바카라 사이트 추천. ¡°We have made all necessary arrangements to ensure that teaching and learning for students continue smoothly during 바카라사이트 period,¡± she said, adding that grants and loans were available for those in need.

A spokeswoman at Hong Kong Baptist University also confirmed 바카라사이트re would be no refunds, given that remote learning was being provided and laboratory or o바카라사이트r work could be made up in 바카라사이트 summer. ¡°With all forms of instruction combined, 바카라사이트 number of contact hours should be similar to that of a regular semester,¡± she said. ¡°Since 바카라사이트 arrangements only involve adjusting 바카라사이트 mode of teaching and learning, no refund of 바카라사이트 tuition fee will be offered.¡±

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com