Acting Secretary for Education Jeff Sze on Sunday said officials are looking into schools suspected of operating as “shell schools” by working with tutorial centres to run courses and offer student status to those from outside Hong Kong.

His remarks came after the Education Bureau ordered the suspension of at least two private schools over such concerns.

Speaking on a TVB programme, Sze said some other schools are also on the bureau’s “concern list” and it has required those institutions to submit relevant information for the probe.

He said the bureau will not spare any suspected case and will look into the matter seriously.

Sze pointed out the government has also issued a letter to all schools in Hong Kong, reminding them not to work with third-party institutions to offer courses without its approval.

It has also required all schools to submit a list of students, he said.

“We have a student counting arrangement at public schools. When a semester starts in mid-September every year, the Education Bureau will visit the schools and count the number of students,” he said.

“As for private schools, we will carry out some surprise inspections as a short-term measure.”

Sze also said the bureau will pay attention to “high-risk” schools that have received complaints, and have financial and student admission difficulties.

He said the bureau has set up a reporting mechanism and it has reached an agreement with the sector to safeguard the reputation of Hong Kong’s education services.