'EDB took backseat in early closure of school'

Lawmakers and families of pupils at an aided Catholic school in Wan Chai on Sunday accused education officials of inaction over the institution's decision to shut earlier than it had originally planned. Rosaryhill Secondary School on Stubbs Road first announced last September that it would cease operations after the 2025-26 academic year. The government-aided school later said it would arrange for Form One to Five pupils to transfer to Yu Chun Keung Memorial College No 2 this September. Rosaryhill Kindergarten and Rosaryhill (Primary) School, meanwhile, will be combined with Dalton School Hong Kong. The brother of a Form Five pupil – a former Rosaryhill student himself – expressed concerns about his sister's education at her new school. ”The Education Bureau was relatively passive and not willing to help us on this issue... Pupils are not as simple as assets that you could transfer to others," he said. The mother of a Form Three student condemned the Education Bureau for not having met parents over the issue, which she said weighed heavily on her son. Election Committee legislator Doreen Kong urged the administration to address the issue. “We don't want this to happen again. The [Education Bureau] must explain to the public what the principles are and what the policies of the government are in handling all these similar situations,” she said. "They have to come out to help the students and to ensure that there is a smooth transition for all the students, especially to overcome their psychological distress." Third Side lawmaker Tik Chi-yuen, for his part, said he would file a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman. “I find that the school is not professional enough to take care of the students. And the administrative side is also not totally concerned about the rights and interests of students and parents... I want to clarify, during the process, what role did the administration play," he said. Tik said he would also talk to authorities on pushing back the school’s shutdown, to let senior secondary pupils finish their studies there.