Amid ongoing controversies regarding the mainland tutorial center Capture Star's unauthorized DSE program with Tsung Tsin Middle School, another mainland school's course offerings in the city have surfaced, raising alarms about the potential scam for non-local students.
A recent online brochure states that Shanghai Ivy School will jointly offer DSE courses with Hong Kong's directly subsidized Mu Kuang English School.
The brochure claimed that Mu Kuang English School would provide local student status at an annual tuition fee of HK$3,000, while Ivy School would offer DSE tutoring from 4pm to 8pm, as well as extracurricular courses, academic guidance, and boarding services costing between 8,000 yuan and 10,000 yuan for shared accommodations.
The promotion targets explicitly students hoping to enter Form 5 and 6 in the fall of 2026, with aspirations for higher education in Hong Kong, overseas, or mainland universities.
In response, Mu Kuang English School issued a statement online clarifying that a third-party independent organization released the content of the brochure without authorization from Shanghai Ivy School, which has since requested its removal.
The school indicated that Shanghai Ivy School is a sister institution, previously authorized to offer DSE courses in Shanghai, with students participating in Hong Kong exams as self-study candidates.
Additionally, the school urged the public to seek official information and remain vigilant against unauthorized information circulating on social media.
In light of the incident related to Tsung Tsin Middle School, former Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying took to social media to criticize the commercialization of education, warning citizens to be cautious of potential scams.
Acknowledging that many mainland parents wish to send their children to study in Hong Kong, Leung urged authorities to implement measures to monitor and punish potential exploitation of school registrations amid the integration with China.
Education Committee sector lawmaker Lawrence Tang Fei commented on the operations of Tsung Tsin Middle School, calling on the Education Bureau to intervene.
Speaking on a radio program, Tang pointed out that while collaborations with other institutions are not inherently problematic, the conflicting statements from Capture Star reflect confusion over leadership and operations, potentially violating related laws.
Following the recent two-year residency requirement for dependent children seeking government-subsidized post-secondary placements, Tang expressed concern that institutions are exploiting parents' anxiety about securing local school placements.
Therefore, Tang recommended that the Education Bureau issue clear guidelines for schools collaborating with foreign educational institutions, enabling both schools and parents to make informed decisions.
