ESF Grilled in SCMP Letters to the Editor

So we are coming to the final conclusion. Since you seem to be fairly knowledgeable in this area, you can answer this one:
What is stopping individual ESF schools from applying and becoming a DSS school and claim the fat packages?

Originally Posted by howardcoombs

What is stopping individual ESF schools from applying and becoming a DSS school and claim the fat packages?

Nothing, in fact if the subvention is ceased that might well be their next step, or they could increase fees and sell debentures like the rest and that isn't going to benefit anyone. Those like Jake who are currently paying through his nose for CIS won't be paying any less.

ESF may be bureaucratic, their staff may be overpaid, their accounts may be in a mess, their admission rules may be flawed, there are perhaps many more holes one can poke, but they are no longer the colonial establishment full of ex-pat children, an outdated image which many ESF critics try to pass off as a basis for their criticism. Old images may die hard, but they should die some day.

Ironically, there was an RTHK programme aired on TV about 4 months ago, in which an ex-pat parent (a British woman) complained that her child was not given an interview by ESF and felt that she was being unfairly "squeezed out by local children" (her exact words). That programme was in Cantonese so I doubt if the likes of Jake would have watched it or understood it if he did.

Originally Posted by mickymaus

Nothing, in fact if the subvention is ceased that might well be their next step, or they could increase fees and sell debentures like the rest and that isn't going to benefit anyone. Those like Jake who are currently paying through his nose for CIS won't be paying any less.

ESF may be bureaucratic, their staff may be overpaid, their accounts may be in a mess, their admission rules may be flawed, there are perhaps many more holes one can poke, but they are no longer the colonial establishment full of ex-pat children, an outdated image which many ESF critics try to pass off as a basis for their criticism. Old images may die hard, but they should die some day.

Ironically, there was an RTHK programme aired on TV about 4 months ago, in which an ex-pat parent (a British woman) complained that her child was not given an interview by ESF and felt that she was being unfairly "squeezed out by local children" (her exact words). That programme was in Cantonese so I doubt if the likes of Jake would have watched it or understood it if he did.

rthk.hk 香港電台網站: 鏗鏘集:國際å*¸æ*¡è ª°è®€?.

This was the link, my son is in the video

Originally Posted by MommyTo3

rthk.hk 香港電台網站: 鏗鏘集:國際å*¸æ*¡è ª°è®€?.

This was the link, my son is in the video

Yes, thats it, didn't realize it was aired 9 months ago, how time flies

Originally Posted by mickymaus

Nothing, in fact if the subvention is ceased that might well be their next step, or they could increase fees and sell debentures like the rest and that isn't going to benefit anyone. Those like Jake who are currently paying through his nose for CIS won't be paying any less.

Jake et all will pay a lot less if ESF decide to abandon their current stance of independence and fall in line with that of a regular, local school and pick up the available subsidies.

ESF may be bureaucratic, their staff may be overpaid, their accounts may be in a mess, their admission rules may be flawed, there are perhaps many more holes one can poke, but they are no longer the colonial establishment full of ex-pat children, an outdated image which many ESF critics try to pass off as a basis for their criticism. Old images may die hard, but they should die some day.

They will die as soon as this subsidy, one that is rubbing a lot of people the wrong way, is stopped.

2 choices remain : either go fully independent or become into a DSS school giving up the special status currently bestowed.

Originally Posted by howardcoombs

Jake et all will pay a lot less if ESF decide to abandon their current stance of independence and fall in line with that of a regular, local school and pick up the available subsidies.

How so? I don't see how or why CIS would lower their fees if ESF is no longer subsidized, or if ESF schools become more like DSS schools.

My apologies for my faulty memory - I thought his kid was in ESF.