Parents petition government as minister refuses meetings over loss of kindergarten's premises
Parents granted an audience over preschool that faces closure, but it does little to reassure them
Parents of pupils at a Tin Shui Wai kindergarten facing closure were left "disappointed" after a surprise meeting with the education minister yesterday.
Dozens of concerned Topkids parents were granted an audience with Eddie Ng Hak-kim for about half an hour at the Education Bureau's New Territories West regional education office after they petitioned outside the government headquarters.
But despite the apparent breakthrough - their request for a meeting has been refused twice before - parents said the meeting was fruitless as Ng did not guarantee anything that would keep the preschool running after the end of the school year.
The preschool must leave its current premises at Sherwood Court, Kingswood Villas, after it was outbid for the lease by a rival operator, Zenith International Education Foundation.
"The only answer that Ng gave us was that he and his bureau were both unable to help," said Kary Lo, a parent representative.
"No one knew Ng would meet us until he stepped into the meeting room out of the blue but we're disappointed that the only thing that he offered us was vacant places at other kindergartens in the district."
