Parents are snubbing top-rated local Hong Kong schools

Hong Kong has been judged to have one of the best education systems in the world. In international assessments, such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Programme for International Student Assessment, our students come consistently near the top.

The city has even been praised as a model for others to learn from. The influential McKinsey study, "How the World's Most Improved Systems Keep Getting Better", flagged Hong Kong as a "sustained improver" that had moved from "good" to "great".

But at home the middle-class elite have shown what they think by voting with their feet, moving away from local schools.

Recent Education Bureau data speaks for itself. International school places increased by 59 per cent, from 30,982 in 2001-02 to 49,183 in 2011-12. These include English Schools Foundation, private international schools and Private Independent Schools that offer international curricula.

In its analysis of growing demand for international schooling, the McKinsey study noted the increasing desire for non-local curricula from local parents. The proportion of local students taking up those places had increased from around 11 per cent in 2001-02 to 26 per cent on the primary level, and 23 per cent on the secondary level.

With local families defined as those not holding any overseas passport (excluding a British National Overseas document), the numbers are likely to be much higher. The minimum figure is around 12,000 children, but it could be at least double that if those with foreign passports are included. Those who are better off are sending their children overseas - more than 5,700 Hong Kong children are studying in British boarding schools.