Critics and Supporters of ESF Debentures

[GeoDerek]

The following is an excerpt from a letter sent to SCMP in response to an article written by Kelly Yang on ESF debentures.

"I am no huge fan of the English Schools Foundation, or of selling school places to the highest bidder. But I can see with my own eyes that some of the ESF's schools are crumbling. We are not talking about "nicer gyms".

With the government subsidy for ESF pupils running at a fraction of that for direct subsidy schools (due to a freeze on the subvention several years ago), and current ESF parents maxed out in terms of the fees they can afford to pay, how does ms Yang recommend that the ESF raise the funds for building refurbishment? Bake sales?

As for selling debentures to raise funds for scholarships, I notice the Kelly Yang Project charges a minimum of HK$385 per hour for writing classes for six year olds. I did not notice any scholarship information on her website."

And a bit more of a tongue-in-cheek response sent from another SCMP reader:

"What is surprising is that the ESF provides its management with such posh offices when the money should be spent on refurbishing the "ageing school buildings" cited by the ESF chairman."

How do you feel about the ESF debentures?

 

[testuser]

The author of the first letter ignores two critical issues:

1) Parents are often recommended to tutorial classes / extra tuitions by their very own teachers. This happens at various levels in the ESF, including at IB when some schools were reported as not being able to finish the curriculum ( has been fixed last year I think.. ). More importantly, should parents who are capable of paying $300-800 an hour for tuitions be eligible for subsidies from the govt?

2) Are parent's really maxxed out on tution fees? Some may be .. but there are many who choose to live in posh neighborhoods who do not complain and reach out with their begging bowls when their landlords raise the rents. I am sure some of these parents could make lifestyle adjustments and cough up normal rates for tuition.

 

[Dwinrx]

Why to Blame ESF only ? Who is not selling goods in HK, see it from retail to property market. everywhere it is business ?

 

[testuser]

Absolutely - you cannot have a capitalistic society when it comes to earning money and then ask for socialist style aid when it comes to spending money.