University chiefs in Hong Kong have accepted the government's funding proposal for 2005-08, a government press release said late Sunday.

Secretary for Education & Manpower Arthur Li said there will be no funding cuts in 2005-07. However, there may be a funding cut of no more than 5 percent in the 2007-08 academic year.

Speaking on a television talk show Sunday night, Li said there may be some flexibility in the 2007-08 academic year thanks to the improved economic situation.

Although the government has already obtained approval from all university heads, the education chief is not sure whether it can get the entire funding proposal through the Legislative Council because lawmakers' position on the issue is unpredictable.

Noting most university staff want to improve Hong Kong's education quality, Li urged them not to take extreme actions which might destabilize the education system and society.

Turning to the proposed changes to the university system, he said the government will conduct a consultation soon to seek public views on the issue.

He said he hopes to see more collaboration among universities which he believes will greatly enhance the sector's productivity.

On school bullying, Professor Li said it is a social problem of which the special administrative region government will have zero tolerance for.

The education authorities have taken a number of measures to tackle the problem, including asking parents and schools to report bullying cases to the government, distributing CDs to schools to help them handle the problem, and organizing workshops for teachers, said Li.
 
(Xinhua News Agency February 23, 2004)