The principal of a school with a semi-boarding programme on Friday said the government should get guardians accredited to help tackle potential problems arising from an expected increase in the number of non-local students coming to study in the city.

The government has approved 48 Direct Subsidy Scheme schools to increase the number and size of their classes in order to take in more non-local students with visas starting in the next academic year.

Speaking on RTHK, Samuel Cheng from United Christian College (Kowloon East), also said there was a high demand for student hostels due to the expected influx, but more than 30 of the schools that had been given the green light for class expansion do not have dormitories.

He said Hong Kong needs to get guardians accredited to help monitor boarders.

"For instance, universities and tertiary institutions can set up guardianship accreditation programmes, so as to allow those who wish to host non-local students studying in Hong Kong to understand how they should take care of them and become an accredited guardian through such programmes," he said.

Cheng's school has been operating a dormitory for over a decade.

He said that it is vital for student hostels, which are privately run and not managed by actual schools, to ensure the needs of these minors are met and their living environment, as well as matters such as curfew and tutorial sessions, are handled properly.

If they are unable to address these issues, they should not be open for business, the principal said.

Cheng, who is also the external affairs secretary of the Hong Kong Direct Subsidy Scheme Schools Council, went on to say that dorm operators have to address students' psychological needs, as they can be homesick while struggling with the new academic system.

On a more advanced level, dorm operators should also arrange activities to help students adapt to the living and learning environments in Hong Kong.


Edited by Tony Sabine