Hundreds of expatriate and Chinese parents have signed a petition protesting fee rises of more than US$1,000 a month at English-curriculum schools, a news report said yesterday.
Fees at the English School Foundation — which runs 20 government subsidized schools — have risen sharply in the past three years, the Hong Kong Standard reported.
Annual tuition fees for elementary school pupils have risen from HK$47,300 (US$6,053) to HK$58,100 since the 2005-2006 school year.
Meanwhile, secondary school fees have gone from HK$78,600 to HK$89,250 a year, the paper said.
Expatriate children make up around 50 percent of all students, and parents complain they have no option but to send their children to the schools because local schools teach only in Chinese.
The English schools are also increasingly popular with local parents who see English as the key to international universities and better job prospects.
Three hundred parents have signed an online petition against the fee rises at the English School Foundation facilities, and the petition is to be sent to the foundation and the education bureau.
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