Post by : Jyoti Gupta

Photo:AFP

A private school in Hong Kong has shocked parents by suddenly announcing it will shut down by the end of July. Think International School, located in Kowloon Tong, sent an email to parents saying it can no longer keep running and will officially close on July 31.

Parents who paid a big deposit called a “debenture” — about HK$200,000 (over US$25,000) — were told they might not get their money back anytime soon. One parent, whose money was supposed to be returned this week, was told they could pick up a cheque now, but it can only be cashed in January next year. That’s making many parents nervous about whether they’ll ever get their money.

The school said that shutting down brings a lot of unexpected costs and it isn’t sure how much money it will have in the coming months. Parents are upset, saying the school likely knew it would close earlier but didn’t warn anyone until it was too late.

The local education department said the school had not told them about closing, which is required. Officials are now trying to talk to the school and are asking it to clearly inform families and return the money as soon as possible. They also promised to help parents and students if needed.

This school, which follows an international teaching style and teaches students up to Year 6, charges more than HK$120,000 a year in tuition. The sudden closure adds to a growing trend: more schools in Hong Kong are closing or shrinking because fewer students are enrolling. This is partly due to families moving abroad and fewer children being born in the city.