A secondary school in Tsing Yi has denied online reports that it is working with tutorial centres to offer places to mainland students.

This came as the Education Bureau said it would seriously deal with such cases and after it temporarily shut down a school in Cheung Sha Wan last week in the wake of reports that it had partnered up with a Shenzhen-based tutorial centre to promote a Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) exam programme for the 2025 academic year.

In a statement issued on Monday, Caritas St Joseph Secondary School in Tsing Yi said it had never authorised or signed any agreements on student admissions with local and mainland tutorial centres.

“Our school treats all admission applications equally with assessments and interviews," the school said.

"We will not give priority to students recommended or referred by any institution.”

The school also said it has been in compliance with government regulations on student admissions and in its daily operation.

The bureau said on Monday it attaches great importance to reports that schools are allegedly working with non-local institutions to offer student status to those who don't reside here.

The bureau said it is handling the matter seriously to ensure that local students do not lose out.

Schools are not allowed to collaborate with third-party institutions in arranging for them to offer courses on their campuses without the bureau’s approval, it said, calling on local schools not to break the rule.

The Education Bureau has also said it had rejected a registration application by Inno Secondary School (Kowloon Tong) due to an unsatisfying management and financial situation after a student of the private school is suspected of holding dual student status in Hong Kong and mainland.

The school was informed of the decision in late July, the bureau said, adding that the school’s temporary registration will not be extended after it expires on September 30.

Officials also urged parents not to register children in different schools, which would lead to unnecessary pressure for the students.