The 10-year freeze on government subsidies for English Schools Foundation pupils will continue despite appeals from parents for it to be lifted in the face of sharply rising fees.
An Education Bureau spokesman said the subvention level of about HK$283 million a year would remain the same for the 2011-12 school year despite rises for other subvented schools. He said this was pending a 'mutually acceptable long-term agreement on the subvention arrangements' with management of the English Schools Foundation.
The bureau said in December it was 'an appropriate time' to review the level of financial support given to the foundation, which was frozen in 2000 amid allegations of dysfunctional operational procedures and financial mismanagement.
The news was described as 'very disappointing' by parents fighting to stop fee rises that have seen the cost of primary school education rise 29 per cent and secondary school fees by 19 per cent since the 2004-05 school year.
A new refundable levy of HK$25,000 is also being introduced from September on all pupils entering ESF secondary schools, and a further fee increase of 1 to 4 per cent is expected to be announced shortly, taking secondary school costs to almost HK$100,000 per pupil.
Asked about the continued subvention freeze, ESF communications manager Susanna Chiu said management had not been informed of the level for the coming school year.
However, in e-mailed answers, she pointed out that the subvention was under review. 'We understand the subvention level has been frozen until the completion of the subvention review exercise,' she said.