The Canadian International School in Hong Kong will offer education up to grade 10 for the next school year as part of plans to offer university entrance qualifications. The extra year - grade 10 in the Canadian system for ages 15 to 16 - will be followed by grade 11 next year and grade 12 in 1998. The school, which has been going for five years and moves to a new campus in Aberdeen next year, will then be able to provide educational requirements for university entrance. The campus is now split between three temporary Hong Kong island sites at Kennedy Road, Borrett Road and Eastern Hospital Road. Principal Neil Johnston said extra classes would also be added for the next school year for grades five, eight and nine, giving each grade three classes. An additional 100 students are expected in September. This will take the enrolment to 640, which Mr Johnson said would exceed capacity. However, this problem will be alleviated in September next year when the new campus replaces the three sites. The 11-storey 18,612 square-metre building is being constructed on a sloping 1.02 hectare plot on Nam Long Shan Road, overlooking the Aberdeen Boat Club and Lamma island. Mr Johnston said he expected an enrolment of about 800 students when the school opened. With new facilities and the capacity to take 1,250 students, the campus would be in line with the territory's other international schools, he said. Mr Johnston said a comprehensive facility was needed to run a balanced programme for students. 'We are in temporary facilities and don't have a full range of athletic facilities or completely equipped science labs. We really are operating in make-shift conditions,' he said. 'The children have to eat lunch in the classrooms because there is no cafeteria on any of the campuses.' A unique feature of the new building will be its glass spine that will link each floor, allowing natural light to permeate into central levels. The interior of the roof will be supported by wooden trusses constructed in Canada from Douglas Fir and Canadian Cedar. The roof will be copper which will oxidize to a green colour similar to the Canadian parliament buildings. Other features will include a cafeteria, dance studio, swimming pool, weight room, double gymnasium and a single gymnasium with 340 retractable seats that will double as an auditorium. There will be 50 classrooms with outlets for at least 350 computer terminals and two communal laboratories, each joined by two classrooms. The school plans to let the community use the facility for evening classes and sports. The building was co-designed by the Hong Kong team of Palmer and Turner - whose other work includes Exchange Square and the Entertainment Building - and Toronto architect Norman Gray-Noble. 'What we are getting is the best of a Canadian architectural school combined with a company here that knows the challenges of building in Hong Kong,' Mr Johnston said. The facility would cost $240 million, with $90 million coming from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club and $50 million from an interest-free loan from the Government. Additional funds would come from the sale of debentures and fund raising in Canada and Hong Kong. The school, a non-profit organisation, receives no funding from the Canadian Government. Mr Johnston said the school's annual tuition fees of $48,000 would increase by 10 per cent in September. 'Our fees are middle-of-the-road in terms of Hong Kong prices. Our motto is quality education at an affordable price,' he said. Mr Johnston said the school's Cantonese language programme had not been phased out. It had introduced Putonghua at grade nine level last year and would teach it from grade eight in September. 'We did an external review of our Chinese studies programme and the parents told us they valued the teaching of Cantonese in the elementary grades,' Mr Johnston said. 'But they definitely wanted their children to learn Putonghua for the secondary level. We will continue to teach Cantonese from kindergarten to grade five,' he said.