Education chief Professor Arthur Li Kwok-cheung has reaffirmed his determination to review the subsidy received by the English Schools Foundation, a move that has sparked fears among parents that fees could increase by up to 40 per cent.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post he said: 'I want to see how efficient it is using money from me and parents. If I find the ESF is doing perfectly well and is not wasting a single cent then the subsidy will remain.
'If it is doing more than that I will consider raising it. But if there are cost-cutting benefits to be achieved I have every right to ask why it can't be reduced.'
He questioned why ESF teachers' salaries had not been reduced in response to deflation and complained that the foundation had been 'poaching' teachers from the government's Native English Teacher scheme. 'It is offering better packages than the NET scheme,' he said. 'There are also international schools that tell me they have teachers poached by the ESF. They are very angry about that sort of thing.'
He repeated that there should be a 'level playing field' between the ESF and other international schools that did not receive government support.
He also said that any reduction in government support - worth about $300 million for the current academic year - should not necessarily be passed on to parents in increased fees. The Lantau International School, he said, managed to charge less than the ESF without any subsidy.
'I am actually very alarmed and surprised at the reaction. People are not thinking through the logic and rationale,' he said.