Another elite school, Diocesan Girls' School, is to join the direct subsidy scheme next year, charging $38,000 a year.
Principal Stella Lau Kun Lai-kuen said the reason was so it could form a through train with its primary school, which is private and charges $32,000 a year.
A secondary 'through' school is expected to take in all students from its linked primary. 'We fulfil two of the three criteria for forming through schools, we provide more places than those available in Primary One and both share the same philosophy of education,' Ms Lau said. 'The only problem is we do not have the same financing mode. Our primary school prepares students for English-medium instruction and it would be a waste of resources if the students cannot progress to the secondary section.'
DGS may allocate more than 10 per cent of its income on fee remission for needy students if necessary, she added.
Tso Kai-lok, vice-chairman of Education Convergence, said more elite schools might turn DSS to increase their resources and flexibility with their curriculum.
But St Clare's Girls' School has no plans to turn DSS. 'We do not want to deprive girls from less privileged background of the chance to study at our school. There is a large variation in our students' family background,'' said principal Stella Chiu Lee Yuen-yee.