The Lure of International Schools in Hong Kong

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The demand for international school in Hong Kong is increasing in the recent years. According to the annual questionnaire survey done by the Education Department, the total number of students in international schools increases 83.2 % from 1610 to 2950 within four years (1997/98 - 2001/02). Moreover, the total number of local students attending those schools also increases 63.2% from 6.8% to 11.1%. (Detail of statistics can be found in appendix P. 12) We can see that, local parents have a high value on their children's entry into international schools. In this essay, I am going to explain some reasons for the lure of international schools in Hong Kong. Firstly, I will discuss their packaging and images by exploring the web pages of some international schools in Hong Kong. Secondly, I will compare these schools with local schools in order to find out the reasons why these packaging are so attractive in Hong Kong context. Finally, I will also interview with a previous international student and his parents to find out their points of view on this issue. 1. The packaging and images of international schools It is a common belief among Hong Kong parents and students that international schools are very "attractive." However, how "attractive" are they? In this part, I am going to study the packaging and images of three international schools in order to answer this question. The three international schools selected are Chinese International School, Yew Chung International School and Shatin College. They are chosen because they gain increasing popularity and high reputation among parents in Hong Kong. By exploring to the web pages of the above three schools, the packaging used and the images of international schools can be divided ... ... middle of paper ... ...r of local students Percentage /98 29350 23520 1610 6.8 /99 29300 23270 1930 8.3 /00 29300 23660 2460 10.4 /01 29730 24980 2880 11.5 /02 30970 26420 2950 11.1 (Adapted from: http://www.info.gov.hk/emb/eng/info/lcpaper/paper1/paper1_120501a.html) Reference: Web page of Chinese International School: http://www.cis.edu.hk Web pages of Shatin College: http://www.shatincollege.edu.hk Web pages of Yew Chung International School, Hong Kong: http://www.ycef.com/en/HongKong_yewchung_school/index.htm

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