One more School to join DSS in midst of controversy

The Education Bureau confirmed yesterday that another school has applied to join the Education Bureau's Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS), despite the controversy stirred up by the St Stephen's Girls' College plan to convert to the scheme. It did not name the school but it is speculated that the school in question is St Paul’s Secondary School in Happy Valley.


The Catholic girls’ school with a history of more than 50 years launched a consultation at the end of last year on joining DSS in the 2014-15 school year.


If St Paul’s Secondary School joins the scheme, it will be the tenth long-established and highly respected secondary schools that have already done so. There are currently 61 secondary schools in the scheme. They receive an annual lump sum subsidy from the government but retains ultimate control over fees and management - two key things that education sector lawmaker Ip Kin-yuen said were attractive to schools.


St Stephen's Girls' Primary School and St Stephen's Girls' College in Mid-Levels have proposed to join the scheme in 2015. But parents and alumni have voiced concern that the change might price the schools out of reach of less well-off families and in turn diminish equal opportunities in education.


Lawmaker Claudia Mo Man-ching, an alumnus of St Paul's, said she was also concerned that social mobility would be reduced, but added that she believed in the school management's judgment.


She said the major reason for her alma mater to join the scheme was to escape control by the Education Bureau, especially amid concerns that it may otherwise be forced to implement the national education curriculum.

A group of alumni already have plans to set up scholarships to help students who cannot afford the school fees, Mo said.