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A student of Think International School in Kowloon Tong enters the Boundary Street campus on November 15. The facility will now have to cope with about 170 extra students from Tsung Tsin Think Academy after the Education Bureau shut down the academy due to its failure to properly register its name. Photo: Nora Tam

Letters | Education Bureau must reflect on how it failed parents and children in its handling of Think International

  • The sudden suspension of classes at the school is not in line with the Education Bureau’s promise of creating a stable and caring learning environment
  • The bureau must review whether it could have minimised the impact to students, parents and teachers
My two children have been attending the Think group of schools for the past 5½ years – one child is in secondary and one in primary. I have been extremely impressed with the quality of education and care they have received at Think from both teachers and support staff. Therefore, I was extremely concerned that earlier this month, both of my children’s education was stopped (“Classes remain suspended for almost 40 primary pupils at Tsung Tsin Think Academy”, November 12). Although my children are now back at school, the secondary school cannot be the same and in the primary, space has been compromised.

To the teachers who have stayed, I salute you. You have been on a team-building exercise like no other. To the teachers who have left, I wholeheartedly understand. You were truly inspirational to our children and you will never be forgotten.

Education in Hong Kong was our biggest concern prior to emigrating here. My partner arrived first in January 2013, while our children and I only followed at the end of March 2013, after a Skype interview with the current lead of the primary school (then a Year 1 teacher) for our then five-year-old, and our acceptance of a place at Think International School.

We would not have emigrated without a confirmed place in a school of our choice. The local school system was not suitable and the use of nomination rights schemes and other types of debenture, which are common in international schools in Hong Kong, was not affordable or morally acceptable to us.

Tsung Tsin Think Academy, which is under the Think International Schools Group, had rented a space in Cheung Sha Wan from Tsung Tsin Middle School since September. Photo: Dickson Lee
What has happened to my children’s education in Hong Kong is completely contrary to the welcome message on the Education Bureau’s website, which says: “We need to create, for students, teachers, principals and parents, a learning and teaching environment that is stable, caring, inspiring and satisfying.” Education in this manner has to be the priority.

There has to be a transparent review of what has happened under the Education Bureau’s watch and their inspection procedure. Couldn’t this have been done in a better way to have alleviated this immense impact on students, teachers, principals and parents?

Next, the Education Bureau needs to sort out the real flaws in the system that have allowed this to happen.

Tanya Locks, Tai Po

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