Having just returned from the UK where the Guardian newspaper quoted that the average spend on ICT in a UK primary went from 3,600 pound in 1998 to 14,800 in 2004 and from 40,100 to 88,600 pound for secondaries, I was amazed to see that funding for local HKSAR schools is still being debated in Legco. The third phase of the IT in Education strategy is only looking to have HK$240 million. This allows for only HK$213,000 (14,250 pounds) per school when divided by HK’s 1123 primary and secondary schools and is not considered recurrent!

This also contrasts strongly with the new Australian Primeminister, Kevin Rudd’s aim to make a computer available for every secondary school child.

You also need to consider that HK schools are a lot bigger than those in the UK or Australia with many having class sizes of 40 and populations around the 1500 mark.

I sincerely hope that HK legislators see the writing on the wall very soon and start to invest properly in education.