Schools breaking the rules on fees

Five prestigious international schools are violating government regulations by charging fees for applying to their kindergarten sections that are far above the HK$30 limit, the South China Morning Post has discovered.

The French International School, the German-Swiss International School, Harrow International School Hong Kong, the International Montessori School and the American International School all charge application fees of between HK$500 and HK$3,700, in breach of the education regulations.

An Education Bureau circular issued in 2005 said fees of more than HK$30 must be approved by the bureau. A breach of the regulations carries a fine of up to HK$250,000 and a year in prison.

The Post researched fees at international schools after reports in October that the German-Swiss school was charging HK$3,700 for applications for its kindergarten in Pok Fu Lam. It found the school was still charging that fee - more than 100 times the limit - without permission.

The French International School was charging HK$500 for applications for its Sheung Wan kindergarten, while Harrow International School in Tuen Mun charged HK$1,500 and the International Montessori School was charging HK$2,000 for its kindergarten in Mid-Levels.

The American International School in Kowloon Tong had been given permission to charge HK$1,000 and had asked for HK$1,500, but was charging the higher fee already.

However, the Education Bureau said it had no statistics on prosecution, adding that would not be its first option. "Law enforcement is not the first step. We normally ask the concerned school to rectify the situation first," a spokeswoman said.