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Leopold Chen

Hong Kong’s education authorities are being urged to implement regulations for private and international schools that align with those governing their subsidised counterparts, following the city leader’s plans to enhance oversight of these institutions.
While stricter regulations would help prevent irregularities in private schools, lawmakers also emphasised the importance of proactive monitoring and timely intervention should problems arise.
In his policy address, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced that the authorities would formulate a “code of practice for private schools” and publish a list of compliant institutions. This code would also apply to international schools.
Education sector lawmaker Chu Kwok-keung accused the government of being too lenient with private schools, some of which had run into financial and management problems. He said he believed that the introduction of the code would improve the situation.
“After formulating the code, authorities should refine their supervision mechanisms and identify schools with financial and managerial risks early, so that the government can intervene in time,” he said.
Although the details of the code are yet to be announced, Chu suggested that it should require private and international schools to regularly disclose their finances and adhere to a self-evaluation checklist, practices applied to institutions under the Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS).
DSS schools enjoy greater management and financial flexibility than those that are fully subsidised or directly operated by the government, yet they remain subject to inspections and must also follow a self-evaluation checklist.
The checklist established by the government mandates DSS schools to meet various requirements related to financial operations, procurement, governance and human resources.
In particular, they are required to form a “school management committee” according to service agreements with the government or an “incorporated management committee” with teachers and parents among the members.
These committees are responsible for developing plans and rectifying irregularities upon request from the authorities.

Fellow lawmaker Dennis Leung Tsz-wing, deputy chairman of the Legislative Council’s education panel, agreed that Hong Kong had granted too much autonomy to private schools and that the government should regulate them along the lines of aided or DSS institutions.
“The government must strengthen its supervision and scrutiny of school operators. It is essential to review the operation of school properties, land usage rights and land grants to ensure that public resources are used appropriately and not for excessive profit,” he said.
Leung further emphasised the need for rules that established a robust internal governance structure and the appointment of independent board members, along with regulations against excessive tuition fees.
At a Legco panel meeting on September 5, Undersecretary for Education Jeff Sze Chun-fai said the proposed code of practice would encompass levels of school management, charging schemes, financing channels and student recruitment practices.
Sze also said that authorities would investigate whether institutions were operating as “shell schools” to help students from outside the city qualify for subsidised university programmes.
Currently, Hong Kong has 154 privately operated institutions, including 53 international schools.
The crackdown comes after news broke that some schools in the city had partnered with agencies based in mainland China to offer classes that would allow students to apply for subsidised university places reserved for Hongkongers.
This led to the government revoking or suspending the registrations of at least two schools – Tsung Tsin Middle School and Inno Secondary School.
The Education Bureau has formed a task force to conduct unannounced inspections and crack down on shell schools from the current academic year that started in September.
A government source previously said that 20 schools had been raided as of mid-September, though the insider did not disclose whether any irregularities had been found.
Leung stressed that the government should prioritise cracking down on shell schools when drafting new laws for private institutions.
“The government needs to provide a clearer definition of ‘shell schools’ and amend the law if necessary while setting up clearer penalties to combat irregularities.”


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Education in Hong Kong

Hong Kong urged to regulate private schools in line with subsidised institutions

Tsung Tsin Middle School is one of the institutions suspended. Photo: Jelly Tse

Chief Executive John Lee says a “code of practice for private schools” will be formulated. Photo: Dickson Lee

Second Hong Kong school suspended over unauthorised courses aimed at mainland Chinese

Inno Secondary School’s proposed programme would allow children to study on the mainland before completing two final years in Hong Kong, where accommodation would be provided. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong’s semi-private schools to raise tuition fees by about 4.6%

The Education Bureau has said that it received applications from 174 schools to adjust tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year as of August 31. Photo: May Tse

An education sector lawmaker has said the fee increase of about 4.6 per cent this year is reasonable. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

News

Hong Kong

Education

Private and international schools should have to regularly disclose their finances and adhere to a self-evaluation checklist, lawmaker says


Private and international schools should have to regularly disclose their finances and adhere to a self-evaluation checklist, lawmaker says.


Hong Kong urged to regulate private schools in line with subsidised institutions

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Private and international schools should have to regularly disclose their finances and adhere to a self-evaluation checklist, lawmaker says

Private and international schools should have to regularly disclose their finances and adhere to a self-evaluation checklist, lawmaker says