Nord Anglia International School backs down on HK$20,000 levy following parents’ meeting
U-turn followed online petition, but many left concerned at ‘vague promise’ and the fear the extra charge may still be introduced in a year’s time
An international school in Lam Tin has decided to postpone, for at least one year, the introduction of an annual fee of HK$20,000 per child, pending further consultation, parents said following a meeting with the school’s management on Wednesday evening.
Some parents welcomed Nord Anglia International School’s decision but many remained worried that the school might introduce the non-refundable levy and other similar fees in the future.
The U-turn came after hundreds of parents at the school signed an online petition protesting against the proposal, which the school principal informed parents about in an email on January 12.
It said that they needed to pay before the next school year starts in September to fund the school’s expansion and a planned second campus.
There has been heavy criticism from parents that the school, whose parent company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, did not inform them about the possibility of such extra charges when they signed their children up. They also said the school did not consult them before introducing the levy.
According to different parents who attended the Wednesday meeting – all of whom insisted on speaking anonymously, concerning over potential impact on their children – more than 300 attended the meeting, where principal Brian Cooklin apologised and promised to start consultation, first through questionnaires, after the Lunar New Year, which is on February 8.
They said the school promised to postpone the levy for one year, during which it would also study other possible options to fund the expansion plans. But the school did not promise them that it would not introduce similar extra fees in the future.