The Continuing Education Fund received 81,648 applications from the time it was set up in June 2002 to the end of February, Secretary for Education & Manpower Arthur Li said. 

Of these, 73,852 have been approved, 4,819 rejected as ineligible and the rest are being processed, he said in a written reply to Legislative Council member Tam Yiu-chung. 

"Based on the ceiling of $10,000 per applicant, the total amount of subsidy committed has exceeded $738 million. As at end-February this year, the actual amount of subsidy claimed and reimbursed was about $113 million," he said.

No plans to extend upper age limit

Professor Li said the fund's eligibility criteria had been relaxed to include degree holders since September 1 last year. The Government has no plans to extend the upper age limit and allow people aged over 60 to apply.

The fund aims to help Hong Kong's workforce to be better prepared for the change in manpower requirements during the transition to a knowledge-based economy. 

"To achieve this goal and to effectively enhance the overall competitiveness of Hong Kong with limited resources, we have to set appropriate parameters on the eligibility criteria, including the age limit," Professor Li said. 

The existing age limit for applicants was determined after consulting academics, the business community and legislators, he said, adding there was no plan to change the age limit.