Coronavirus: Hong Kong kindergartens warn of closures as nearly 70 per cent of parents withhold tuition fees during prolonged class suspension
- Classes have been suspended since the Lunar New Year holiday ended and Education Bureau last week announced a further extension
- Kindergarten principal and member of PTU executive committee warns that schools are struggling to maintain operations while paying salaries and rent
Nearly 70 per cent of Hong Kong kindergartens have said parents refused to pay tuition fees after classes were suspended for more than a month because of the coronavirus outbreak, according to the city’s biggest teachers’ union.
The survey results, released on Tuesday by the 100,000-strong Professional Teachers’ Union (PTU), also found more than 40 per cent of kindergartens predicted they could face serious financial issues if the situation continued, with some warning of the possibility of closures.
Classes have been suspended at all kindergartens, primary and secondary schools in the city since the Lunar New Year holiday ended on February 3 and the Education Bureau last week announced a further extension meaning classes will not resume until March 16 at the earliest.
If parents eventually still refuse to pay tuition fees, there’s not much we can do
The poll, conducted between last Friday and Monday, collected responses from 238 kindergarten principals – out of a total of 884 local kindergartens in the city – of which 203 kindergartens need to collect tuition fees from parents.