Kindergarten fees have gone up by an average of 4.5 per cent this year, while government vouchers increased by HK$710 per pupil.
Some 683 kindergartens were given approval to raise their fees for the current school year.
Tuition costs stayed the same for 217 kindergartens.
The new voucher amount of HK$17,510 will fully cover fees for 59 of the city's kindergartens.
The Education Bureau rejected about 10 per cent of the 907 kindergartens seeking to increase their fees. It is still processing 28 applications.
Yung Hau-heung, an early-childhood education specialist with the Professional Teachers' Union, said the average fee increase of 4.5 per cent did not match inflation and wage rises for teachers. "The government on one hand encourages our teachers to pursue higher learning, but at the same time we are not given any room to increase their salaries after they get their qualifications," Yung said.
