Recently, the proposal to allow mainland senior secondary students to seek education opportunities in the SAR has attracted a good deal of attention here.

Last week Chief Executive Donald Tsang said in his policy address: "Looking forward, we will explore the possibility of allowing mainland senior secondary students to study in Hong Kong. For example, we may allow them to take short-term courses offered by our degree-awarding tertiary institutions, or pursue senior secondary education at non-public schools in Hong Kong".

If this policy could be put to practice, it would be a breakthrough in Hong Kong-mainland cooperation in the field of education.

According to government figures, the shortage of primary and secondary students in the city has intensified due to a sustained decrease in the local birth rate.

Acute competition for students exists among schools as those whose enrolments fail to meet a certain required level would be shut down.

During the 2008-2009 academic year, 47 secondary schools curtailed a total of 56 classes, more than tripling the number from 2007-2008.

At the same time, neighboring areas across the border, such as Shenzhen, are experiencing a serious shortage of places in senior secondary schools. It is actually more difficult for students to enter secondary schools than universities there.

This year, for instance, 51,852 junior secondary school graduates in Shenzhen sat for the public examinations, but the city's senior secondary schools took in only 24,408, meaning more than half of the candidates had to look for other opportunities to further their education.

Last year, Hong Kong Bauhinia Foundation Research Centre interviewed close to 1,000 primary and secondary students and their parents in Shenzhen about cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen in education.

Among those surveyed, 70 to 80 percent expressed willingness to attend universities, international schools or even short exchange or training programs in Hong Kong.

The report pointed out that in recent years more than 1,000 Shenzhen students have sought senior secondary education in foreign countries every year and that families of those students spent over 100 million yuan on such overseas education expenses. The report recommended that Shenzhen and Hong Kong come up with joint programs to capitalize on existing needs.

It has also been reported that some 1,000 children of mainland residents are qualified to come to Hong Kong to study in local senior secondary schools at the present time.

The government is inclined to place them in schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme, as well as in private and international schools. It is also studying the possibility of opening schools catering especially to mainlanders.

Apparently, the concept of mainland students, at least those in Shenzhen, coming to the SAR to attend senior secondary schools here is now practicable. What is most important is that both sides have something the other side needs, and both of them are willing to do it, while possible side effects and controversy are minimal.

Before the idea could be translated into reality, both governments must prepare themselves by sorting out all the possible problems. They should make sure that there are proper arrangements for issues like the provision of sufficient information for mainland parents, the issuance of travel permits to the student, and whether the qualifications they acquire after completion of the programs here would be recognized when seeking further education in Hong Kong or overseas, or when sitting the mainland's university entrance examination.

All in all, arranging for mainland students to attend senior secondary schools in Hong Kong benefits both places. It would not only foster the development of the education industry in the SAR, but also would have a positive impact on the population growth and structure of Hong Kong, even though the effects may not be immediate.

Should this policy be extended to other mainland provinces, mainland students might, like other migrants to Hong Kong, become a factor in the growth of local population.

The author is a commentator of the Phoenix Satellite TV

(HK Edition 10/20/2009 page1)