ESF's new chief executive Belinda Greer looks to boost efficiency
With a looming subsidy cut and mounting calls for more accountability, the ESF's new chief executive vows to clean house, writes Linda Yeung
When the Education Bureau announced in June that subsidies to the English Schools Foundation would be phased out from 2016, it seemed inevitable that the ESF would turn into a network of international schools – with the attendant high tuition charges.
So parents may take some comfort that the ESF’s new chief executive, Belinda Greer, seems intent on ensuring that its schools remain relatively affordable to families seeking an English-medium education for their children.
“The ESF has a very strong position and tradition in Hong Kong. I really don’t want ESF to lose [that], to become another group of international schools,” Greer says.
Just two months into the job, Greer says it will take her some time to learn about the “context of ESF and Hong Kong”. But she recognises that she arrives at a critical juncture for the foundation. “It is an opportunity to revisit and redefine the purpose of ESF and what we want to achieve, and how do we serve the people of Hong Kong in the future.”
Video: New chief vows English Schools Foundation will stay affordable