ESF teacher in Hong Kong threatens to jump from roof of West Island School campus after ‘being told she could lose her job’
- Woman who taught Chinese at Pok Fu Lam school had been told she was under observation and could be fired, according to her cousin
- She was rescued from building by police and firefighters
A teacher at an international school threatened to jump from a rooftop in Pok Fu Lam on Monday, after she was allegedly informed she could be terminated.
The 36-year-old teacher who taught Chinese at West Island School, run by the English Schools Foundation (ESF) – the largest international school organisation in Hong Kong – was rescued by police and firefighters on Monday as she sat on the edge of a building.
“The woman was returned to safety soon after emergency services arrived, and escorted inside by firefighters,” a police spokesman said.
A cousin of the teacher told the Post she had been suffering from mental illness.
When she returned to work from sick leave, the school denied her access to resume classes then, weeks later, demanded she take over four additional classes to make up for the time she was sick, her cousin said.
“They told her she was under observation for three months and that if there was an unsatisfactory appraisal, she would be fired,” the cousin said.
“It’s been very overwhelming as she had just recovered and it seemed discriminatory to do such a thing.”
