GSIS and Ma On Shan

genome,

I have got no idea as to what is going on as I don't know any board member nor any of the parents actively opposing the move. But I wish to make one more point, that is we must change our mindset now that we have reached this stage. It has been more than a month since the board passed the resolution. Really, the only effective way to stop the move is for the opposing parents to start a legal action against the school or the board. Of course, there are many things to consider before taking such a step. For example, the parents starting the legal action must consider the colossal costs involved. To be effective, they must also apply for an injunction in which case they may be required by the court to give personal indemnity against any losses. Furthermore, will the parents really be so determined to fight the case to the end especially when substantial legal costs will be mounting as the case progresses? Anyway, in my personal opinion, a far better way would be for the opposing parents to explore if there is a better school site available out there. Taking the Wanchai site as an example, as the board has said it so many times that there is no other option, we can't really rely on them to look into the matter. Furthermore, as there is a complete lack of trust on the board, I doubt if the opposing parents would accept any conclusion reached by the board anyway. It would be far better if the opposing parents can first do some preliminary investigation on the site themselves to see if it is workable. If it is, then they could proceed to discuss it with the board. My point is that since the board has passed a resolution, it would be failing its duty if it doesn't put its plan into action. It's no longer useful to dwell on the bad points about moving to MOS. They will make the move unless they are stopped legally or there is a better school site available. If neither happen, then we must decide whether we are going to transfer our kids elsewhere. For all those who decide to remain, we must try our best to make suggestions to and co-operate with the school in the hope that both the extent and the duration of the disruption will be minimised as much as possible. Sorry for being so longwinded, but I really believe that's the way to go forward from here.


genome said:
Welcome back Happy Hour missed conversing with you.

Completely take you point re the driver and the bus. It is the driver that affects the transport just wanted to point out that with longer journey times you in affect increase the chance of incidents happening to our children.

You raise a good question re the working groups have you heard anything more on what the school is going to do? what they re thinking of? who can join and how much can parents contribute?

It seems as if we are in a period of limbo waiting for more clarity.

Re Wanchai have passed the information on to the relevant parties.
Click to expand...
 
Hi

can anyone confirm what I just have heard about the teachers at GSIS having to expect a pay-cut next year as there is a 8% drop in the student body at GSIS? The school blames it on the economy but the teachers say it is because of their decision of moving to MOS and that they are not willing to take pay-cuts because of the decision the management makes?
I hear other international Schools like CIS or CDNIS have a huge increase in their waiting list. So to me that point seems valid. I guess many of the children leaving GSIS are moving to other International schools here in HK. Does anyone have any figures about that?
 
I have heard the similar kind of stories which makes me wonder if we have enough for the building works and development how come we do not have enough to retain and pay the staff that make the school what it is. Does anyone have any further details on this? The board assured us that there were no issues with financing. Have they done the math right? I am worried that if we cannot pay the staff then there is going to be a definite knock on effect on the quality of education.

Anyone have any views or can shed any further light on this?
 
These are all rumors. What I find is you like to focus on the negative side. I agree with happyhour that you should focus on making this work instead of dwelling on the issue. It's all final and things will move forward.

If you indeed find it unbearable then you should move your children to another school. There are plenty of good schools with spaces out there given so many expats leaving HK this year.
 
(1) I would have thought that the teachers? pay depend on market forces (ie. supply and demand) rather than the number of students attending school each year. I do not know if there is going to be a pay cut or not. But even if there is one, it is most likely due to the market forces rather than anything else.
(2) I have no idea how many students are leaving this year. But if what you heard is right, a 8 % drop of student number would represent approximately 100 students out of the total of 1,246 students (the Business College?s students are excluded). I would not expect any abnormal drop in student number in the Secondary as the students there will not be affected by the move. The German stream students do not really have a lot of choices because there is no other school in HK provides a similar curriculum. We are left with the English stream where they have 340 students in the Kindergarten and the Primary. Under the proposed arrangement, only about 1/2 to 2/3 of them (ie. 170 to 230 students) would really be affected by the move. They are the one who are most likely to leave GSIS and, if what you hear is true, I would expect most of the 100 students come from this category. Just ask ourselves how many of our kids? classmates are leaving. In my kid?s class, there is none.
(3) CIS always has a long waiting list. Like GSIS, the best chance to get in is Year 7 where they have an extra class. However, I would not expect any of our Year 6 students to leave school as they will not be affected by the move. If we care to ask the admission office of CIS, they will tell you that we will be lucky to get even 5 of our students admitted because the places are so limited. The same shortage of places applies to other international schools. So sometimes when I hear that there is a mass exodus of students, I just wonder where could they go. Even less well known international schools like Yew Chung has no problem in filling up its places. Why are we worrying?
(4) Tabby and genome, there have always been a lot of rumours going around all the time and we can safely ignore them. Sometimes people spread rumours for reasons. If we are worrying that the quality of education will decline because we hear stories about a rumoured pay cut, why aren?t we worried about a lack of space leading to a decline in education quality? It?s something I don?t understand.
 
NVMom and Happy hour as always thank you for your replies and opinions.

I find it very hard to focus on the positive in moving the youngest students of the school to MOS in that I see nothing positive in this. You are right though if the move happens I will not be part of it and will move to another school.

NVMom I am more than willing to listen to your point of view of what the positives are of this move if you would be kind enough to list them out. Apart from getting the school rebuilt because that is what everyone wants and agrees on. The parents just don't think that MOS is the best decanting site to achieve this and feel there are options out there that are worth pursuing.

Once again the parents against MOS are not against the redevelopment of the school just that the decanting site chosen by the board is the worst of all options.
 
I understand. But the reality is that it will. So it's time to think about an alternative if you find it very hard to accept (and that's is totally understandable).

I know some people are moving their children out (btw, my children are not students of GSIS) and it's for all the valid reasons.

And if you feel there are options out there, what are they? What have you (or the parent community) done to pursue that? The decision has been made for over a month and is there any action from the parents to seek a better site? spoke to the EB?

These are all the positive things parents can do. If you do not believe the board has done the best, do it yourself. that's what I would do.
 
Last edited:
NV Mom thanks for the reply the parents that are against the move to MOS are doing all they can do to find alternatives to MOS. This involves all the suggestions that have been on this forum and more.Like you said if the board wont do it we as parents need to.
 
nvmom

I wonder why you are so interested in this debate if your kids are not at GSIS? Have your kids been at GSIS? Are you maybe one of these old guys sitting on the Board forever, having a bad track record of your work there and being really bad in inter-personal skills?

You sound like that.

If not, I would like to know where your kids are going to school and what your motivation in this discussion is?
 
Sorry to disappoint you, none of the above.

Asking people to be positive is really bad in inter-personal skills? The first time I heard.

My kids go to ESF. Might we have the same problems? Absolutely. There is already talk that island school needs to be redeveloped. It's very likely we will face the same problem. And you know what, I am already looking at alternatives if in case it doesn't work out.

What I am trying to say is, it's a personal choice. The only people I feel really bad for are the German stream children. They really don't have anywhere else to go. A couple of parents I know are looking at moving out there. That's how they deal with it. Many others who have choices will make their choice to either stay or go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

About this archive

This is an archive of over 20 years of GeoBaby and GeoSchools knowledge and discussions, kept online as a read-only reference.

Back
Top