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Carlson Tong is leaving after four years. Photo: David Wong

Outgoing English Schools Foundation chairman hopes to keep fees for its Hong Kong schools relatively low

The English Schools Foundation's outgoing chairman, Carlson Tong Ka-shing, hopes the foundation can keep its tuition fees at the low end of those charged by international schools after the removal of its government subsidy.

The English Schools Foundation's outgoing chairman, Carlson Tong Ka-shing, hopes the foundation can keep its tuition fees at the low end of those charged by international schools after the removal of its government subsidy.

In an exclusive interview with the , Tong, who is due to leave on May 2 after serving the ESF for four years, also said he hoped the foundation could continue to cater to its originally targeted parent groups, such as university lecturers, civil servants and other middle-class professionals.

"We don't want our fees to be so high that it becomes elitist," Tong said. "Once we price ourselves out of the market, we will start to suffer."

But he admitted there would be a group of local and expatriate parents who would not be able to afford future fees after the removal of the subsidy. He said it should be the government's responsibility to provide more affordable options, as it was the government that decided to stop subsidising the foundation.

"ESF is not responsible for providing English education to everybody who needs it in Hong Kong," he said, adding that during negotiations with the government, the foundation offered to provide English education to families in need if it allowed the foundation to keep its subsidy and gave it more space. Tong said the proposal was rejected.

The government will start phasing out the annual HK$283 million subsidy over 13 years from next year. New pupils entering Year One next year could face a fee rise of 23 per cent.

Government funding for ESF's Jockey Club Sarah Roe School and learning support centres for children with special needs will be frozen at HK$28.3 million a year. The administration will also fund the redevelopment of ESF's Island School.

Tong said even after the increase, ESF's fees would still remain below the international school average.

ESF chief executive Belinda Greer says maintaining a relatively big class size - currently 30 pupils per class - is one way to achieve a balance of low tuition fees and high-quality teachers.

The board will select a candidate to replace Tong at its next meeting on May 20.

 

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: ESF chief hopes tuition fees will stay low after HK$283m subsidy ends
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