Pupils barred from 'illicit' rooms at AIS
The prestigious American International School (AIS) in Kowloon Tong has been forced to cordon off a number of its premises after the Buildings and Education Departments deemed them illegal or unregistered.
Investigations by the departments - thought to have been sparked by a tip-off from a disgruntled teacher - found 'unauthorised building works' at four buildings in Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, and revealed another to be unregistered for use as a school under the Education Ordinance.
A Buildings Department spokesman said it inspected AIS premises at 123 to 131 Waterloo Road in late August 'in response to a series of complaints' and found a number of irregularities.
A source close to the 500-pupil school, which charges up to $87,500 a year, said the information was thought to have been supplied by a teacher whose contract had not been renewed, adding that up to 10 teachers were thought to have been 'laid off' by AIS shortly before the investigations. The school denies this.
The Buildings Department said it would not be taking enforcement action over alterations and additions to 123, 125, 129 and 131 Waterloo Road 'for the time being' but action was being taken to remove building works at 127, although the owner was appealing and 'the department is waiting for the outcome of the appeal before further enforcement action'. AIS leases all of the buildings, thought to be mostly used for classrooms.
The Education Department made two inspections at the school in August. 'We warned the school to fence off the unregistered sites on the first visit so students couldn't access them,' a spokesman said, adding that it was satisfied from its second visit that the buildings had been cordoned off and 'no entry' signs put up.
Education Department guidelines warn that 'any person who is an owner or a manager or a teacher of a school which is not registered will be liable to a fine of $250,000 and to imprisonment for two years. The Director of Education may close any premises of a school which is not registered or provisionally registered.'
The AIS source said a tip-off was the most likely explanation for the situation. 'I heard 10 staff had been laid off and there must be a lot of disgruntled people out there. If these schools operate out of illegal, unregistered or overcrowded premises they are leaving themselves wide open.'
An AIS teacher said: 'Why would someone do this kind of thing? Why not just get another job? I mean, get a life.'
But a statement from AIS this week denied there had been lay-offs: 'Teaching positions at AIS, as in most schools, are on either a one- or two-year contractual basis. This is normal operating procedure in the field of education. AIS has not laid off either permanent or temporary teaching staff.
'We continue to provide a quality education for our students with quality instructors. We are working with the Education Department to ensure this quality education continues with minimal disruption to the students.
'The alleged unauthorised building works . . . are, as advised by Chief Building Surveyor Shum Luk-cheung, low priorities and pose no imminent danger and have existed for many years. Furthermore, and once again quoting the building surveyor, no demolition order has been issued for the alleged works. The Buildings Department will deal directly with the building owners.'
