Kindy fees on way up as admissions shrink

Around 620 kindergartens - or 60 percent of 1,030 preschools - have applied to the Education Bureau to raise tuition fees from September.

The number is up from last year's 440 kindergartens that asked for fee rises.

By the middle of last month, 740 of 750 schools under the Kindergarten Education Scheme had submitted fee proposals for the next academic year, the bureau said yesterday.

About 480 applied for a fee increase and 250 said their fee would remain unchanged.

For kindergartens that are not in the scheme, about 140 applied for increases.

One said it would reduce tuition, while 90 had no plans to adjust fees.

"The Education Bureau is currently reviewing the schools' fee proposals and will inform them of the approved fees as soon as possible," a bureau spokesman said.

He added that it would follow up on schools that had not submitted a fee proposal.

He said authorities have maintained close communication with kindergartens to understand their situation and needs, provide appropriate support and ease their financial difficulties.

The declining birth rate has put pressure on kindergarten admission.

More than 80 percent have seen a decline in enrolments, while 75 percent had to lay off teachers due to financial difficulties, a survey by the Hong Kong Federation of Educators showed.

The teacher group polled 320 kindergartens in early May and found that 84 percent will see the number of K1 half-day students in the coming school year down an average of 29 percent over this academic year.

Nine out of 10 schools said they faced financial difficulties and more than 75 percent had to lay off staff.

The group suggested authorities provide kindergartens with more subsidies and further lower the teacher-student ratio to one to eight.

Meanwhile, 49 direct subsidy scheme schools have applied to the bureau to increase their school fees starting in September, accounting for more than 61 percent of all schools under the scheme.

Thirty-one schools said their fees would be unchanged.

The bureau said DSS schools have to consult parents and explain the reason for increases.

DSS schools need to set aside at least 10 percent of the total fee income to provide fee remission or scholarships and ensure students' learning will not be affected because of the economic difficulties.

Diocesan Boys' School Primary Division in Mong Kok proposed a 15 percent fee rise to HK$53,140, while the school's secondary school fees will rise 10 percent to HK$57,830.

St Paul's Co-educational College in Central has applied for a 10 percent rise on HK$72,400 a year for its secondary school and HK$70,700 for its primary school.

Another DSS boys' school in Mid-Levels, St Paul's College, said fees will remain the same at HK$10,350.

eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com