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SCMP Reporter

Gifted students have been pulled out of a special school because their parents cannot afford the cost of tuition in the recession.

 A dozen students at the G. T. School - the only primary school for gifted youngsters - have requested help to pay annual fees of between $52,800 and $55,000. The tuition fee is higher than a university degree programme which will cost about $42,000 for the 1998-99 academic year.

 At least two students were rejected and have been forced to drop out and move to government-aided schools offering free education.

 Principal Leung Siu-tong said: 'We feel sorry to see gifted students drop out of our school.

 'But we cannot help much. We have set up scholarships to help needy students. But even scholarships have a quota.'  About 10 students would have their fees halved in the coming year.

 Surveys estimated that there were more than 20,000 children considered academically gifted because they have IQs higher than 130.

 The Education Department has set up the Fung Hon Chu Gifted Education Centre in Tsuen Wan to offer help to children with high IQs but the department has not opened special schools for such children.

 The G. T. School, on Lei King Wan Estate, Sai Wan Ho, admitted about 100 students for its Primary One and Two classes when it was founded last September by the Gifted Education Council. Students were taught the main primary school curriculum plus extra lessons in music, arts and other non-academic areas.

 Despite the economic downturn, Mr Leung said there was still a great demand for gifted children's education.

 He said he had been prepared to set up a second primary school in Kowloon next month but the plan was delayed because it was still waiting to receive permission from the Town Planning Board and the Education Department.

 'We have accepted about 100 students for Primary One to Four classes for our new Kowloon school,' he said.

 'But these students will have to attend lessons in our Sai Wan Ho school for several months until we get a licence for the Kowloon school.' 



High fees, crisis hurt gifted students