The Hong Kong Education Bureau has launched an investigation into a scheme allegedly offering students in mainland "Hong Kong student status" without requiring them to attend classes in the city, following reports of a Guangzhou school claiming to partner with a local private school on a Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) program charging over RMB 100,000 in annual tuition.
In a response to media inquiries on Thursday (Sept. 6), the Bureau stated it is "highly concerned about the incident" and has immediately initiated follow-up actions. It will require the involved school to submit a detailed report explaining the situation.
The Bureau further revealed it had previously issued a letter to all schools in Hong Kong, urging them to promptly report to the Education Bureau if they suspect any mainland institutions or intermediaries are falsely using their name for student recruitment or claiming cooperative relationships. The Bureau pledged to immediately follow up on such reports and enhance communication with mainland education authorities to combat suspected illegal practices like "shell school" operations at the source.
The Bureau emphasized that it does not accept so-called "dual student status." It stated that any claims by organizations that they can provide Hong Kong student status to children residing and studying in mainland China—asserting that this status complies with Hong Kong regulations, including eligibility to apply for government-funded university places through the University Grants Committee (UGC) as local students—are false representations and will not be recognized by the Bureau.
The Bureau warned that if any Hong Kong schools are found to be involved in such practices, they will face serious consequences, including potential referral to law enforcement agencies for further action.
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