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Mimi Lau

A row has broken out following the offer of  a Chai Wan site  to Hong Kong Academy by the government as part of its bid to boost the number of international school places.
The academy's director said the school community had rejected the offer  out of 'frustration'.
The Yue Wan Estate site, currently occupied by TWLK Mrs Fung Yiu Hing Memorial Primary School,  was offered to the academy last month after it had  originally applied for a site in Cheung Man Road, Chai Wan, which the Education Bureau instead gave to French International School.
The controversy   comes after  the bureau earmarked  a number of vacant, soon to be available or green-field sites in March to meet the growing demand for international school places.
Hong Lok Yuen International School was offered a Sha Tau Kok site but two other sites - in Tai Po and Shau Kei Wan - remain unallocated either because of a lack of interest or because proposals failed to meet minimum requirements.
The academy has been looking for a permanent site for eight years. It is currently housed in cramped and temporary conditions in Stubbs Road.
Revealing the academy's decision to reject the site, director Andy Page-Smith  said the school was disappointed with the outcome.
'There is a growing frustration in the parent community. They think we have a deserving cause [to get the Cheung Wan Road site],' Dr Page-Smith said. 'We cross a lot of boundaries here in Hong Kong. We are a school that really reaches out for children with special learning needs.'
The academy has 360 students with class sizes of 18. However, it also has a waiting list of about 300 students as the current site is at maximum capacity.
Chairman of the academy's board, Robyn Joseph, said they were mindful of the space constraints in Hong Kong. 'We are not waiting for the EDB to deliver us a perfect solution. We are out there talking with a whole range of organisations and looking at different options.'
French International School principal Francis Cauet  said he was unaware of any other party's interest in the Cheung Man Road site it had been allocated.
'This is the first time I have heard of Hong Kong Academy's involvement in the bidding. We have nothing to say about it,' Mr Cauet said.
A spokeswoman for the Education Bureau said there were 11 parties interested in the premises finally allocated to French International School.



HK Academy 'frustrated' over school site offer in Chai Wan