ESF Increases School Fees 2013-2014

The English Schools Foundation is increasing fees by up to 5.9 percent for the next academic year.

A letter to parents from the ESF's chief executive, Heather Du Quesnay, said the move was necessary to cover a 3.5 percent pay rise for staff and the cost of improving educational services.

She said the ESF board had decided on an average rise across all year groups of 4.5 percent.

Annual fees for primary pupils will go up by 5.9 percent from HK$66,100 to HK$70,000.

Secondary years from seven to 11 face a 3.47 percent rise from HK$98,000 to 101,400,

Years 12-13 another 4.22 percent from 102,000 to HK$106,300.

Mrs Du Quesnay pointed out in her letter that the government's subvention to the ESF had been frozen at the same level for many years.

She said salaries had to be raised to maintain competitive levels of remuneration and safeguard morale throughout the organisation. She said that a number of areas needed to be improved in the coming year.

Chief among these upgrades are services for children with special educational needs. The board has agreed to fund additional spending of HK$1.7 million to open or extend learning support classes at Island School and Sha Tin College.

Other areas of additional expenditure include enhancement of the Chinese curriculum and implementation of new information technology systems.

"The Board is acutely aware of the impact of fee increases on parents and is committed to developing a culture of efficiency and cost-awareness within ESF as a whole. The cost review exercises which have been implemented since 2011-12, have generated over HK$20 million in savings and will continue into the future," the letter said.

The Education Bureau has still to approve the increases.

"The board is very conscious of the pressure that these increases will place on families and very much regrets that this is so. However, in a climate of rising expectations of education, it has a responsibility to maintain and improve the quality and standards offered to ESF students."


Source RTHK English News

School fees also increased 4% for this current year

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