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The Education Department (ED) today (October 28) received a formal notification from the school operator of the Canadian Overseas International College on the closure of schools due to financial difficulties. About 380 students at the kindergarten, primary and secondary levels will be affected.

The schools concerned include the college's kindergarten (currently registered as Brighter Kindergarten) and primary sections in Kowloon Tong, and the secondary section in Ma On Shan.

"The school supervisor has been reminded that the schools must make all necessary arrangements, including notifying parents of the closure soonest possible, conducting briefings for parents and refunding fees to the students affected," an ED spokesman said.

"The school supervisor has also been urged to offer placement assistance to students. We understand that he is liaising with other international schools and will call an urgent meeting with their representatives to seek their assistance in the placement of the students."

To help the students find alternative school places, the ED has set up enquiry hotlines and help desks in the Kowloon and New Territories East Regional Education Offices (REO). From tomorrow (October 29) to November 3, the hotlines and help desks will operate from 8.30 am to 7 pm on weekdays and 8.30 am to 5 pm on Saturday.

Details of the hotlines and help desks are as follows:

Enquiry hotlines:

Kowloon City District School Development Section -

2782 8330 and 2782 8332

Sha Tin District School Development Section -

2639 4802 and 2639 4810

Help desks:

Kowloon REO: 11/F, Manulife Provident Funds Place,

345 Nathan Road, Kowloon

New Territories East REO: 22/F, Landmark North,

39 Lung Sum Avenue, Sheung Shui, New Territories

To provide timely assistance to parents and students, the hotlines and help desk of Kowloon REO have started operation today till 7 pm.

"We are liaising with the supervisor regarding the arrangements of providing on-site assistance to parents and students by ED officers in each school premises tomorrow," the spokesman said.

"Lists of international schools and kindergartens with English as the medium of instruction are made available to the students. We will also contact other international and public sector schools, if necessary, to seek their assistance in admitting the students."

The spokesman stressed that every effort would be made to help the students secure a school place.

End/Sunday, October 28, 2001

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