Education Bureau cancels Tsung Tsin Middle School's registration

The Education Bureau has officially canceled the registration of Tsung Tsin Middle School on Friday, stating that the school’s submitted representations failed to address fundamental issues concerning its closure and management adequately.

The decision comes after the bureau suspended the private school’s operations earlier, alleging that it had collaborated with a Shenzhen-based education institution, Capture Star, in a "shell-school" arrangement to recruit students.

Deputy Secretary for Education Jeff Sze Chun-fai revealed the decision during a Legislative Council education panel meeting on Friday.

He explained that the bureau had previously written to the school, requesting a written submission within a specified period.

After reviewing the response from the school’s board, authorities determined that it did not substantively tackle the core problems, leading to the final cancellation of its registration. A formal notice of the decision was sent to the school supervisor on the same day.

Sze noted that while Tsung Tsin Middle School still had students enrolled during the 2023/24 academic year, it had effectively ceased operations by the 2024/25 term.

The bureau took into account student welfare but emphasized that the school’s violation of regulations—including its unauthorized collaboration with a mainland entity to recruit students and offer Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) programs—necessitated a swift response to terminate its operations.

In a related development, Sze also addressed reports that students were still attending classes at the site of another recently closed institution, Inno Secondary School.

He assured that the bureau would enhance monitoring through measures such as unannounced inspections. He reiterated that a school roster system is in place to ensure lawful and compliant operation of schools and stated that the authorities would maintain “high vigilance” over institutions previously subject to complaints, keeping a close watch on those considered high-risk.