Four major bodies representing Hong Kong schools will hold their second joint education fair next month to attract mainland Chinese students, with some sector leaders stressing all enrolment applicants will be assessed using the same criteria amid concerns over increased competition.
The principal of an elite school also suggested mainland parents encourage their children to learn some Cantonese and prepare them for more advanced levels of English, both in admission interviews and for studying in Hong Kong in general.
The education fair will be held at the AsiaWorld-Expo from December 15 to 17 and aims to cater to mainland parents hoping to have their children educated in Hong Kong.
The coming event is the result of a collaboration between the Hong Kong Subsidised Secondary School Council, the Hong Kong Direct Subsidy Scheme Schools Council, the Subsidised Primary Schools Council and the Hong Kong Aided Primary School Heads Association.
Lee Yi-ying, the chairwoman of the event’s organising committee, said the fair would provide a one-stop shop for parents looking to understand the local education system, and would bring together more than 330 schools.
“They may not understand which schools will charge school fees and what language schools will use to teach different subjects,” she said.