We need school system that is fair for all

[SCMP Letters page November 7th]

ESF review highlights need for new direction" (Editorial, October 25), misleadingly alleges that the ESF subvention makes ESF schools "affordable to many Chinese middle-class families". Hong Kong's middle-class Chinese families are predominantly Cantonese-speaking but the ESF's admission policy explicitly discriminates against Cantonese speakers.

Without equal right of admission, Cantonese speakers have only a token presence in ESF schools. The proposed withdrawal of funding will help eliminate language-based privileges without compromising a child's "right to a subsidised education". In a Belgian linguistics case (1968), a European court held that "the right to education does not mean the right to be provided education in a language of the parent's choice and the right to education is confined to the right of access to educational establishments existing at a given time".

Hong Kong's public education, which includes English- and Chinese-medium schools, is open to all applicants. There is neither legal nor moral obligation for Hong Kong to subsidise a separate English-medium schools system especially for non-Cantonese speaking students.
The funding perpetuates shameful privileges which induce cultural divisiveness rather than diversity. It enables ESF teachers to enjoy higher pay and ESF students, better facilities than their counterparts in non-ESF schools. As all ESF schools have shifted to the International Baccalaureate programme, the funding promotes an exclusive qualification (IB diploma), which students in local schools have no access to through public exams.

The World Economic Forum's global competitiveness report 2005-06 shows that Hong Kong is 28th - below Taiwan (fifth), Singapore (sixth) and South Korea (17th), partly because of "government inadequacy in handling matters impartially".

These Asian countries are competitive without offering privileged education to non-residents. Subvented ESF schools offer new immigrants who are native English-speakers unquestioned admission at the expense of native students. Withdrawal of the ESF's subvention will improve Hong Kong`s competitiveness by making it a fairer place.

To become socially relevant in the post-colonial era, the ESF must take effective measures to implement a fair and open admission policy even if it is allowed to turn its schools private and operate without subvention.

Pierce Lam, Central