English Schools Foundation

Infobox_Company
company_name = English Schools Foundation
英基學校協會
company_
company_type = Non-profit organisation
foundation = 1967
location = Hong Kong
key_people = Heather Du Quensnay ^{[http://www.esf.edu.hk/foundation.html]}
industry = Education
products = "See list of schools"
revenue = "Not applicable"
homepage = http://www.esf.edu.hk/The English Schools Foundation (Chinese: 英基學校協會, abbreviated: ESF or 英基) is an organisation that runs 20 educational institutions, most of which are international schools, which are all located in Hong Kong. It is the largest international educational foundation in Asia [cite web |url=http://hk.88db.com/hk/Services/Post_Detail.page/jobs/Credit_Collection/post_title/?PostID=869395|title=Customer Services Officer [The English Schools|accessdate=2008-09-18] [cite web |url=http://www.autonomy.com/content/News/Releases/2002/1211.en.html|title=Cardiff LiquidOffice™ Selected by English Schools Foundation to Automate Forms and Business Processes|accessdate=2008-09-18] and was founded in 1967 as a direct result of an ordinance that started the foundation to provide a "modern liberal education" for expatriates in Hong Kong. Today, the ethnic groups of the foundations' students include local residents of Hong Kong, Europeans and other nearby Asian countries. At the same time, more than 60% of their students have parents who are permanent residents of Hong Kong. Its schools have traditionally provided a curriculum based on the British curriculum, but the organisation is undergoing a transition to a more international curriculum from the International Baccalaureate Organization, starting with changing the Year 12 and 13 programme from the British GCSE A-Levels to the International Baccalaureate Diploma from September 2007.

The foundation receives an ongoing subsidy (called the "subvention") from the Hong Kong Government as well as charging a substantial tuition fee to parents. In the 2007-2008 academic year, these fees stand at HK$54,300 per annum for primary school students and HK$85,000 per annum for secondary school students.

Although all of the ESF schools are comprehensive and non-selective, students in the foundation have generally done well academically, 90% of their graduates going to different universities around the world.

The schools have progressively improved their facilities, especially in ICT with the help of donations from Parent Teacher Associations.

Government subsidy debate

Unlike most other international schools in Hong Kong, schools run by the ESF receive an ongoing subsidy (called a 'subvention') from the Hong Kong Government. The reason for this is historical and lies in the foundation's statutory basis. Until recently, it was generally accepted that this subsidy was fair and that the foundation had a reason to be subsidised.

There has been some controversy regarding subsidies to the foundation. The fiscal deficit suffered by the Hong Kong Government following the Asian Financial Crisis forced the government to cut costs. There were also allegations that the foundation has misused funds on entertainment and over-extravagant recruitment procedures. A report criticising the ESF's use of funds was published by the Hong Kong Government in November 2004, resulting in a continuing debate about whether the subsidy should be cut or even suspended. The subvention was cut for several years in line with a general reduction in government expenditure and then frozen.

Those who argue for the subsidy to be reduced further or stopped put forward several arguments:

1. Other international schools are not subsidised, so it is not fair that the ESF should be subsidised.
2. The subvention allows the ESF to charge lower fees and pay higher salaries to teachers than other international schools. This creates unfair competition.
3. Most students in ESF schools could attend other schools and so do not need a government subsidy.
4. The ESF has been criticized for its governance and extravagance, which has caused many to question whether the public's money is being used correctly.

Those in favour of keeping the subsidy argue that:

1. Students of ESF schools should be allowed the same subsidy that is provided to students of schools in "local" schools. Without the subsidy, some parents could not afford the higher fees and their children would be forced to leave the ESF system.
2. English is an official language of the HKSAR and there is only limited provision for English language education outside the ESF.
3. The style of education is different from what is available in "local" schools. Although the government also has the Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) to provide funding to schools which operate more independently than typical local schools, most DSS schools were formerly top-tier local schools and continue to offer the local curriculum.

The ESF has recently addressed concerns about governance by putting forward a new Ordinance that will change the way the organization operates.

It is generally accepted that the government will not allow the ESF to expand any further under the existing subsidy arrangements. Future ESF schools will have to be under the "Private Independent School" scheme with no "subvention". One (Renaissance College) opened in Ma On Shan in August 2006 and Discovery College in Discovery Bay, which opened in August 2007.

Ordinance

ESF was established by government ordinance in 1967. There have been no amendments to the ordinance since that time. Shortcomings in the governance of the organisation were highlighted by the Legislative Council Public Accounts Committee in January 2005.

The ESF carried out an extensive consultation process to produce an Amended Ordinance and Regulation, which provide for a number of changes to the governance and management of ESF. Some of these are in response to the shortcomings identified by the Public Accounts Committee. The most substantial changes are to the structure and composition of ESF's governing body and committees, including the creation of a new Board of Governors to replace the Foundation.

The new Ordinance was approved by Legco in April 2008 and came into effect shortly afterwards.

ee also

*Education in Hong Kong

Notes and References

*The English Schools Foundation has a subsidiary known as the ESF Educational Services Limited (ESFESL) which operates the kindergartens and Private Independent Schools. [http://www.esf.edu.hk/eslmain.html]

List of schools run by the foundation

External links

* [http://www.esf.edu.hk/index.aspx English Schools Foundation]