Helping hand from ESF in back-to-school countdown

The English Schools Foundation has repeated an epidemic relief measure, offering a 45-percent discount on tuition fees for this month.

This is the second time the foundation, the SAR's largest international school group in running 22 institutions, has taken such a measure this year.

Pupils in need were given a 45-percent discount on fees for June, while fee levels for this school year were frozen.

Chief executive Belinda Greer wrote to parents yesterday to say "we understand how difficult the last eight months have been for many of our families, both financially and emotionally."

ESF students will be able to "opt in" to receive the grant before September 22.

The foundation will also provide further aid to students and parents suffering pandemic-caused hardships. Details have yet to be announced.

In April, it also launched a Covid-19 emergency assistance scheme, offering to defer up to 50 percent of fees for April, May and June for eligible families.

Greer also briefed parents on class resumptions this month and on holidays.

A limited number of students will be back at schools from next Wednesday and then a phased full return starts on September 23. All students will be back by September 29.

That fits with education bureau plans for schools in general.

"There will be variations in implementation of plans from school to school due to differences in available space," Greer said, adding that the ESF has decided to keep next month's mid-term break, which typically lasts for five days.

That "was not a decision taken lightly nor without critically evaluating the pros and cons of such a move," she said.