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A student waits outside Think International School’s campus on Boundary Street in Kowloon Tong on November 15. After the Education Bureau suspended operations of Tsung Tsin Think Academy for failing to properly register, 170 children were placed at the Boundary Street facility. Photo: Nora Tam

Letters | Hong Kong’s Education Bureau handled Think International case in line with established procedures

  • The Education Ordinance requires every school to be registered or provisionally registered to safeguard the well-being of students
I refer to Tanya Locks’ letter to the editor (“Flaws that led to disruption at Think International must now be fixed by Education Bureau”, November 22).
The well-being of students has always been the concern of the Education Bureau of Hong Kong. Since the suspension of operation of the unregistered school at Tsung Tsin Middle School, the Education Bureau has been closely following up on all the related matters, including liaising with the parties concerned to explore every possible way to facilitate early resumption of schooling for the affected students, and meeting with some 40 affected parents to address their concerns and listen to their views and suggestions.
Through the concerted efforts of different parties, all the primary-level students of the unregistered school have resumed classes on the registered campus of Think International School on Boundary Street, where there are sufficient school places for them under the accommodation permitted by this bureau.
Since the resumption of classes, the operation of the school has largely been smooth. The secondary class students have been offered school places at Tsung Tsin Middle School. Those who accepted the offer have resumed schooling. The bureau will continue to provide placement support to affected students who opt to change to other schools.
Section 10(1) of the Education Ordinance requires every school to be registered or provisionally registered, the primary purpose of which is to safeguard the well-being of students. All schools have to abide by the law, to register their premises and seek approval for operating courses. The Education Bureau follows up on complaints against suspected operation of unregistered schools according to established procedures.
Students and parents of former Tsung Tsin Think Academy arrive at the Cheung Sha Wan campus of Tsung Tsin Middle School on November 19. Tsung Tsin Think Academy was forced to close by the Education Bureau in early November due to its failure to properly register the school’s name. Photo: Dickson Lee

Upon receipt of a complaint in September 2018 that an unregistered school was operating on the premises of Tsung Tsin Middle School, we carried out an inspection in accordance with the established procedures. We will handle the case, following the proper legal procedures.

We will review the monitoring of private schools with a view to ensuring their compliance with the rules and regulations and, more importantly, protecting the interests of students more effectively.

Chan Fu-man, principal education officer (Hong Kong and Kowloon), Education Bureau

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