SOSC 103D Social Inequality in HK

SOSC 103DSocial Inequality in HK Lecture 19: Educational Inequality

Educational Expansion in HK Stages of education expansion: • 1. During the 1970s • expansion of the lower level of education • 2. During the early 1990s • expansion of university education • 3. From late 1990s • expansion of post-secondary education L19: 15.11.06

Credential Inflation • 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 L19: 15.11.06

疑不堪讀書壓力公大學生墮樓亡(15.11.2006 明報) • 一名英文名相同、相信是死者的網友曾在網上討論區留言，透露自己今年6月修畢副學士學位，主修英文，其後升讀公開大學翻譯系。 • 「我想問如果我只讀兩年拿了個無honour的degree之後想再儲錢進修讀master(碩士)，有無機會入八大？我知道而家通街都係degree holder，要再上就要讀master。」 • 「我的問題係我而家都係借non-mean loan(免入息審查貸款)，我讀完兩年之後就會欠政府十幾萬……我家庭無咁多閒錢畀我讀書，但我好驚無honour會影響我繼續讀上去。」 L19: 15.11.06

科大生躍下畢業袍換裹屍布 讀生化任職電訊推銷不堪工作壓力 (15.11.2006 明報) • 通訊業總工會主席葉岳峰估計，目前電訊業界共有約1000人從事電話推銷工作，當中不乏大學畢業生，底薪平均不足5000元，主要靠佣金收入，故工作壓力沉重。志向明確生化畢業生有出路 • 中大生化系副教授陳竟明指，該系畢業生近半到外地或留港做研究，其他多從事商業（藥廠、食物、環境及生物科技等）及教育工作。他指出，現時大學的學科通常注重擴闊視野，因此修讀科目大多不會影響就業。他直言有些學生選修本科以至修讀期間都弄不清楚自己「讀緊乜」，但若然志向明確，出路沒問題。陳認為現時社會競爭激烈，大學畢業生普遍壓力增加，並不限於某些科目。 L19: 15.11.06

Persistent Inequality • Inequality in educational attainment remain stable since the early 20th century. • Hong Kong : L19: 15.11.06

Educational Inequality in HK Composition of University Students in 1981 and 2001 (David Post, 2003 p.558) L19: 15.11.06

Educational inequality?! Less Capable • Poorer grades • Less likely to get into university Lower Income • Less facilities and assistance • Poorer grades and performance • Less likely to get into university L19: 15.11.06

SOSC 103D Social Inequality in HK