【社評雙語道】設私校名冊 維護港教育聲譽

原文

摘錄自4月15日香港《文匯報》：教育局昨日（4月14日）發出通函，公布加入私立學校名冊條件，並邀請私立學校加入私校名冊。私校名冊的推出兼具務實與前瞻，在尊重私校市場運作的前提下，建立清晰的標準和透明的資訊平台，既可推動私校持續優化治理，又能杜絕「借殼辦學」等亂象，充分保障學生福祉和家長權益，強化社會對香港私校信心，有利鞏固香港國際教育樞紐地位，為香港高質量發展吸引、培養更多優秀人才。

過去由於資訊不對稱，家長在選擇私立學校時往往難以全面掌握學校的管治狀況、財務穩健度及合規情況。設立私校名冊的核心意義之一，在於建立一套官方「白名單」，將符合條件的學校資料上載至教育局專題網頁，供公眾查閱。家長可以一站式了解學校的管治、財務狀況及對《私立學校實務守則》的遵從情況，從而作出有根據的選擇。

這不僅釋除了家長的疑慮，更切實保障了學生福祉和家長權益，讓家長在選校時更有依據、更具信心。同時，教育局充分理解私立學校的市場主導性質，採取了自願表列安排，而非強制性註冊，體現了政策在「規範」與「自主」之間的審慎平衡。

申請加入私校名冊的學校須在三大關鍵項目上達到一定水平：遵守相關法例及規定、具備良好的學校管治，以及保障主要持份者（包括學生與家長）的福祉和權益。具體條件涵蓋校舍穩定性、收生人數、財務狀況及營運透明度等。

其中，學校須提交過去兩個財政年度的審計報告，確保沒有出現負淨值，以及未有收到非無保留意見。這有助於篩選出財務穩健的學校，避免因財困而影響學生學習。

此外，學校須增加營運透明度，例如透過學校網頁、學生手冊等讓持份者查閱校本政策，並讓家長參與制定部分政策。這些措施不僅保障家長的知情權和參與權，更加強學校的問責性。

過去曾有私校被揭發經營不善、財政困難，甚至有內地機構與本港私校「合作辦學」，聲稱能夠提供香港學籍以考取本港資助大學學位，借機牟取暴利，欺騙家長和學生，損害他們利益，也破壞香港教育形象。

私校名冊將合規學校與不合規者區分開來，只有持續符合條件的學校才能被納入名冊，為家長提供了可靠的參考指標，避免誤信中介或網上不實資訊，有助打擊和杜絕「借殼辦學」、「影子學籍」等亂象，有效維護香港優質教育的聲譽。

私校名冊的設立，不僅是監管工具，更是推動業界提升質素的重要平台。對於合規學校而言，加入名冊彰顯其在管治水平、學生保障及營運透明度等方面的堅持原則，有助在競爭中樹立信譽，獲得家長信任，吸引更多優質學生報讀。

香港正積極建設國際教育樞紐，優質的私立教育資源是吸引海內外人才家庭來港的關鍵因素之一。透過私校名冊制度，可以進一步向外界展示香港完善、透明且高水平的私立教育體系，更好發揮香港優質教育的優勢，為香港高質量發展培育多元化人才。

譯文

Publishing the Private School List to Safeguard Hong Kong's Reputation for Quality Education

The Education Bureau (EDB) issued a circular memorandum specifying the conditions of joining the Private School List (the List) and inviting applications from the private schools to join the List yesterday (14 April). The introduction of the List is both pragmatic and forward‑looking. While respecting the market‑driven nature of private school operation, it establishes clear standards and a transparent information platform. This will not only encourage private schools to continually enhance their governance, but also help prevent irregular practices such as "shell schooling", thereby safeguarding student welfare and parents' rights, strengthening public confidence in Hong Kong's private school sector, and consolidating Hong Kong's position as an international education hub that attracts and nurtures talent for the city's high-quality development.

In the past, information asymmetry often made it difficult for parents to gain a comprehensive understanding of private schools' governance, financial sustainability and regulatory compliance when selecting schools for their children. One of the core purposes of publishing the Private School List is to create an official "white list". Information of schools that meet the relevant conditions will be uploaded to a designated Education Bureau webpage for public access. Parents will be able to obtain, through a one‑stop platform, information on school governance, financial conditions and compliance with the Code of Practice for Private Schools, enabling them to make informed choices.

The initiative not only addresses parents' concerns, but also effectively safeguards student welfare and parents' rights, providing parents with a sound basis and greater confidence in school selection. At the same time, the Education Bureau fully recognises the market‑driven nature of private schools and has devised the List as a voluntary rather than mandatory system, reflecting a prudent balance between regulation and school autonomy.

Schools applying for listing in the List are required to comply with the conditions over three key areas, including compliance with the relevant legislations and requirements, good school governance and safeguarding of the interests and rights of the key stakeholders (including the students and parents). The specific criteria cover aspects such as school premises, enrolment, financial situation and transparency on school operation.

Among these, schools are required to submit auditor's reports of the school over the past two financial years, demonstrating that they have not recorded negative net worth and have received no modified opinions arising from the reports. This requirement helps identify schools with sound financial sustainability and prevents students' learning from being adversely affected by financial instability. Schools are also required to enhance operational transparency, for example by making school‑based policies accessible to stakeholders through school websites, student handbooks and other channels, and by enabling parents to participate in the formulation of certain school‑based policies. Such arrangements safeguard parents' rights to information and participation, while strengthening school accountability.

In the past, some private schools were found to have encountered governance or financial difficulties. There were also cases involving Mainland organisations entering into so‑called "collaborative arrangements" with local private schools, claiming to provide Hong Kong student status for access to publicly funded local universities, thereby deriving improper profits. Such practices misled parents and students, undermined their interests and damaged Hong Kong's education image. The Private School List differentiates compliant schools from non‑compliant ones. Only schools that continue to meet the conditions for listing may be included in the List, providing parents with a reliable reference, reducing the risk of being misled by intermediaries or inaccurate online information, and helping to combat and eradicate malpractices such as "shell schooling" and "shadow student status", thereby safeguarding Hong Kong's reputation for quality education.

The publishing of the Private School List is not merely a regulatory measure, but also an important platform for promoting quality enhancement in the sector. For schools that meet the requirements, getting listed in the List signifies their commitment to good governance, safeguarding student interests and maintaining transparency in school operation, which helps them establish credibility in a competitive environment, gain parents' trust and attract quality student intake.

As Hong Kong continues to advance the development of an international education hub, quality private education resources form an important element in attracting families of talent from both home and abroad to the city. Through the publishing of the Private School List, Hong Kong can further demonstrate a well‑regulated, transparent and high‑standard private school sector, better leveraging the strengths of its education system and nurturing a diversified pool of talent in support of high‑quality development.

●Tiffany