The local demand for international schools in Hong Kong is rising, straying away from the 70 percent rule by the government.
Local demand for international schools in Hong Kong is rising
International schools in Hong Kong have an understanding with the government about the ratio of local students enrolled in their school programs. The government wants to assure ex-pats that there are slots allotted for their children in international schools.
Currently, the country has 52 international schools, and 24 of which are not abiding with the 70 percent ruling it had with the government. The initial agreement way back in 2009 was just 50 percent, but the government saw the opportunity to attract ex-pats in returning to Hong Kong is by giving them security over their children’s future.
The Education Bureau is verifying the details about the actual percentage of local to non-local students in international schools in Hong Kong. The reports will be forwarded to the Legislative Council for further investigation.
Demand from locals had risen
Ruth Benny, the founder of Top Schools, a consultancy agency for private schools, showed records of ex-pats returning to Hong Kong has significantly decreased for the recent years. Ironically, demand from local families into sending their children to high-quality English-oriented schools has drastically increased.
The demand by locals for international schools is caused by their desire to send their children abroad for better college opportunities and degrees. Having the opportunity to start their children young in an international school nearby will boost their capacity to handle studying overseas.
Admittedly, the Education Ministry acknowledges the gap when it comes to teaching methods from local and international schools, which is why the desire to go to a better school is of high demand.
But according to Ip Kin-yuen of Hong Kong’s education ministry, the international schools should still follow the arrangement it made into with the government so no legal actions shall be imposed unto them.
As to the increasing demand of local families for high-quality English-oriented schools, the government is considering the acceptance of additional international schools in Hong Kong to cater to their needs.
