A mainland tutoring center claims to be partnering with Tsung Tsin Middle School in Cheung Sha Wan to offer the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) program to Form 4 and Form 5 students, leading the Education Bureau to warn of potential scam.
In the online advertisement of the tutoring center "Capture Star", it is stated that students can enroll in Form 4 and Form 5 at Tsung Tsin Middle School, along with DSE-related courses and teaching materials provided by Capture Star.
The advertisement includes screenshots of documents from the Education Bureau and the Hong Kong Examination and Assessment Authority, asserting that the school is a legitimate DSE exam participating institution.
Tuition fees, including donations, are listed between HK$160,000 and HK$190,000 per year, with an additional monthly fee of HK$10,000 for students seeking accommodation.
Interested students reportedly need to take an admission test scheduled for August 17 in Shenzhen, with an examination fee of HK$700.
No application to operate courses received: Education Bureau
In response to media inquiries, the Education Bureau emphasized that it has not received any applications from Capture Star to operate courses or partner with Tsung Tsin Middle School for school operations.
It stressed that enforcement actions have been taken, advising parents and students to remain vigilant and avoid being misled.
Reports indicated that the involved mainland tutoring center was established in 2014, offering year-round DSE programmes and summer training programs, with campuses in Nanshan and Futian in Shenzhen.
According to the center's social media posts, it claimed that a total of 284 students participated in this year's DSE exam, with over 90 percent gaining admission to universities such as the University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, enrolling in fields like medicine, dentistry, and computational finance.
Concerns over regulatory violations
Education Committee sector lawmaker Lawrence Tang Fei expressed that the center conducting enrollment, tutoring, and teaching activities at Tsung Tsin Middle School could potentially violate regulations.
Meanwhile, education lawmaker Chu Kwok-keung highlighted the lack of regulation surrounding mainland tutoring institutions offering DSE courses in recent years, urging the government to take action to prevent potential negative reputations on the "Study in Hong Kong" brand.
He also called for the government to cooperate with mainland authorities to regulate improper marketing practices.
It was learned that the online advertisement from Capture Star has been deleted after the incident.
