Hong Kong Fact-File Part 7:
Business Owner Welfare and Lifestyle

7.6 Hong Kong Education

Education

Schools in Hong Kong mainly fall into one of three categories: government schools, subsidized schools mainly run by charitable organizations, and private schools.

Comprehensive or government schools are either government funded and controlled or run by charities and religious organisations and heavily subsidised by the government.

DSS or Direct Subsidy Schools are private schools run by non-government institutions that receive some government funding but are free to decide their own entry requirements, curriculum and fees. In order to receive government financial assistance, DSS schools must have attained a sufficient educational standard.

Regular private schools do not receive financial assistance from the government and their admissions policy is based on academic merit rather than ability to pay. International private schools charge much higher tuition fees than the regular private schools.

The English Schools Foundation is in charge of running around 20, mainly international, schools in Hong Kong. These schools are often subsidised by the Hong Kong government, although significant tuition fees are also payable.

The common language for instruction used in state owned schools is Chinese, which may present an additional challenge for a child starting in a new school. There are a number of private international schools in Hong Kong where the language of instruction, the curriculum and style of education may be more appealing than those offered in the public sector. These schools are popular with expatriate and local parents alike and often have long waiting lists and charge very high fees.