Nearly 270 subsidised kindergartens of Hong Kong raise tuition fees for 2019/20 academic year
- A tenth of 269 subsidised kindergartens increase fees by at least 20 per cent, to meet teachers’ salaries, which account for most of the expenses
- Some 157 non-subsidised schools also raise fees, while a principal says charges could be lowered if the government takes care of teachers’ salaries
Nearly 270 subsidised kindergartens were allowed to raise their fees this academic year, with a tenth of them increasing charges by at least 20 per cent, according to the latest official data.
The 269 kindergartens, which offer whole-day classes, are among some 730 schools that the Education Bureau approved to join the Free Quality Kindergarten Education Scheme this year.
While about 300 whole-day kindergartens charge below HK$10,000 (US$1,277) a year, the fees for at least 28 subsidised schools are more than HK$20,000.
At least 31 subsidised whole-day kindergartens raised the fees by 20 per cent or more, including one in Shau Kei Wan that hiked yearly tuition charges by 150 per cent, from HK$4,800 to HK$12,000.
“It’s meaningless to calculate the increase in tuition fees in percentage because our fees are quite low,” Wu Mei-hang, the principal of Women’s Welfare Club Western District Hong Kong David Woo Memorial Kindergarten, said.
