ExclusiveHong Kong government shuts down German Swiss International School’s business college for operating illegally
- The college, which has provided vocational courses for decades, never registered to provide post-secondary education
- Government says that is in breach of the law and its campus lease agreement, ordering its closure by the summer
A business college at one of Hong Kong’s most prestigious international schools, which has been offering vocational training courses for decades, has been doing so illegally and will be forced to shut down in the summer.
A strongly worded letter issued by the Education Bureau last week slammed the college at German Swiss International School (GSIS), located at its Pok Fu Lam campus, for blatantly disregarding the Education Ordinance and deliberately concealing the post-secondary nature of the college, which was “entirely unacceptable”.
Under the ordinance, anyone who manages or takes part in operating an unregistered school could be fined up to HK$250,000 and jailed for two years.
Among the college’s about 50 current students, some 25 who would graduate this year will be allowed to complete their studies. But the rest will not be able to continue as the college will close its doors ahead of the upcoming 2020/21 school year.
The bureau’s letter, seen and verified by the Post, said GSIS’s service agreement with the Hong Kong government was to operate a non-profit-making international school providing kindergarten, primary and secondary education, but not post-secondary education.