Hong Kong should open up public schools to international pupils: university head

The president of the city’s largest teacher training institution has suggested authorities open up public schools to non-local students on a cost-recovery basis as part of the “Study in Hong Kong” brand, but has stressed the need to protect local interests.

Professor John Lee Chi-kin, president of the Education University of Hong Kong (EdU), reminded the government to maintain the city’s high degree of internationalisation as an essential feature for attracting non-local students.

He also encouraged authorities to offer more scholarships at public universities and ensure their academic programmes accounted for the latest technological developments.

In an exclusive interview with the Post, Lee said Hong Kong could explore extending the brand campaign, which is largely university-focused, to include the admission of non-locals to public schools before they enter the city’s tertiary education institutions.

Such students would have to pay the full fees to go to public schools, while the interests of local pupils would need to be safeguarded, he added.

“The most important thing is fairness, and that it would not affect the local students … We should not let it undermine local students’ interests, as we are all taxpayers,” Lee said.