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Kahon Chan

Hong Kong’s education authorities have said they had no advance warning a tutoring centre chain was reopening after it abruptly closed last week, leaving angry parents complaining they were owed thousands of dollars in prepaid fees.
Private tutoring company Brilliant Education reopened its Kornhill branch on Saturday afternoon after a group of parents reportedly pumped cash into the business.
The Education Bureau warned that any change in ownership would require its approval.
“The Education Bureau has not received any notice on … the reopening of the relevant school so far,” a spokesman said.
Hong Kong customs arrests director of tutoring group over prepaid fees
Brilliant Education was subject to the Education Ordinance and government approval would be required if new ownership led to changes of key roles such as supervisors and managers, he added.
The chain closed its five branches last Saturday, leaving parents shocked and desperate to reclaim outstanding fees.
Three days ago, a 50-year-old director of the company was arrested by customs officers on suspicion of wrongly accepting payments when selling prepaid tutorial programmes. The company allegedly owed HK$2.51 million (US$320,710) to 310 customers.
A message from director Margaret Pang Tse-tung was posted to parents’ chat groups announcing the Kornhill centre’s reopening, and a handful of tutors and children were seen returning to the classroom.

A man who identified himself only by his surname Yan spoke to reporters outside the classroom on behalf of the company. He said about a dozen parents had provided financial and manpower support in an attempt to keep the centres going.
“Many parents grew up here. After all, this school has been around for 28 years,” he said.
Yan was seen by a Post reporter meeting tutors at the Kowloon Shangri-La hotel on Friday afternoon. He was reluctant to explain his role in the turnaround effort, except to say he was authorised to handle media questions.
“About a dozen parents think this school should not have been reduced to what it is today and are willing to contribute efforts. They are not investors,” he told the Post on Saturday outside the school.
“They’re helping to cover some of the costs, and if [the company] doesn’t have the money, they’re waiving the repayments.”
Hundreds of Hong Kong parents demand money back after tutoring group abruptly closes
At least five parents were said to have provided HK$10,000 to HK$20,000, but Yan declined to say how much had been committed. He also maintained the shareholding structure at Brilliant Education remained intact, despite the influx of new funding.
The company has been accused of falling behind in salary payments and failing to make compulsory contributions to the employees’ pension schemes. Yan said he had been in communication with about half of the chain’s 40 full-time and part-time tutors following the closure.
He said centres in Ho Man Tin and Chai Wan would reopen after replacing some equipment allegedly wrecked by angry parents last week.
The Ho Man Tin location has been confirmed to be registered under a different entity, and the Education Bureau was working with law enforcement agencies in investigating a suspected breach of the Education Ordinance.


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Education in Hong Kong

Hong Kong tutoring company Brilliant Education abruptly reopens branch amid legal storm, catching education authorities off guard

The Kornhill branch of Brilliant Education has reopened without notifying city authorities. Photo: Kahon Chan

Hong Kong customs earlier this week arrested the woman behind private tutoring company Brilliant Education. Photo: Jelly Tse

News

Hong Kong

Education

Brilliant Education reopens Kornhill centre after group of parents reportedly pumps cash into business
Company director earlier arrested on suspicion of wrongly accepting prepaid tutorial fees, and business allegedly owes HK$2.51 million to 310 customers.


Brilliant Education reopens Kornhill centre after group of parents reportedly pumps cash into business.


Crime in Hong Kong

Consumer protection in Hong Kong