Education in the UK: why more Hong Kong parents are sending their children to elite boarding schools in Britain

More Hong Kong parents are sending their children to elite boarding schools in Britain, despite the expense

Some are looking for more stability and academic freedom, especially since the passing of the national security law

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A rising number of Hong Kong parents are sending their children to boarding schools in Britain. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 6:15am, 14 Jan 2021Updated: 10:07am, 14 Jan 2021

Undaunted by high fees and distance, an increasing number of Hong Kong parents are opting to send their children to boarding schools in Britain, home of renowned institutions such as Eton and Harrow.

The perceived benefits of an elite education are fuelling their interest.

Despite costs of £40,000 (HK$421,000) or more a year to provide a child with an education some 10,000km from home, the prospects of excellent academic results and substantial personal development mean boarding is seen as a sound investment.

The growing interest also follows widespread social unrest in Hong Kong in 2019, which disrupted schooling and home life, and a national security law imposed on the city by Beijing in 2020. There are fears that the law – which targets acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces – will suppress academic freedom and free speech.

Many Hong Kong parents who send their children to British boarding schools are looking for academic excellence and personal development. Photo: Getty Images

Some parents are now looking to educate their children in a more stable environment, especially when the curriculum is decided by the school itself.

“In the past few months we have seen people coming to us for full-time interim schooling while they wait to go to school in the United Kingdom,” says Danny Harrington, who runs tuition and educational advisory service ITS, based in Hong Kong’s Central district.