Cram school

Cram school

Cram schools are specialized schools that train their students to meet particular goals, most commonly to pass the entrance examinations of high schools or universities...

s in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

are referred to as Tutorial schools ( Jyutping

Jyutping

Jyutping is a romanization system for Cantonese developed by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong in 1993. Its formal name is The Linguistic Society of Hong Kong Cantonese Romanization Scheme...

: bou2 zaap6 se5). According to the Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong, a third of secondary school students went for private tutoring in the 2004-05 school year, spending a total of HK$

Hong Kong dollar

The Hong Kong dollar is the currency of the jurisdiction. It is the eighth most traded currency in the world. In English, it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively HK$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...

18.9 million per month. On the lower estimate, the whole industry is worth more than HK$400 million , and according to other reports, the industry is generating more than US$3.6 billion a year.

Business model

Cram schools are relied on by many secondary school students to endow them with examination technique. These establishment chase after the 478 thousand secondary school population (2008 figures). The schools focus on the two major local public examinations, namely HKCEE and HKALE, and teach students the techniques of answering questions in the examinations, as well as providing students tips on topics which may appear on the coming examination. Monthly tuition fees per subject are approximately HK$

Hong Kong dollar

The Hong Kong dollar is the currency of the jurisdiction. It is the eighth most traded currency in the world. In English, it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively HK$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...

400 (US$51) for each student; the fee for a course is upwards of HK$100.

Multimedia techniques are increasingly deployed. To increase yield, once traditional classes are supplemented by classes transmitted by video feed. According to The Standard

The Standard

The Standard is an English free newspaper of Hong Kong with a daily circulation of 231,018. It was called the Hong Kong Standard and changed to HKiMail during the Internet boom, but it changed back to The Standard in 2001....

, the use of video tutorials in the industry in Hong Kong was pioneered by Kevin Ko.

Schools share revenue with their tutors, with some able to obtain a 60% share. The share paid to tutors may depend on their bargaining power (popularity), and on whether classes are live or virtual. There are said to be approximately 20 such 'star tutors' in number, with a monthly salary of HK$1 million or above. By comparison, Hong Kong secondary school teachers earnings are capped at $68,915, and a primary school teacher earns $52,815 in 2009. Some of the tutors, or "presenters", are model-turned. The schools apply a fandom approach to promote tutors, who dress fashionably and are given nicknames like "the Godfather of Science," "Brand-A tutor" or the "Queen of English." They can be seen on billboards, full-page newspaper ads and TV screens in railway stations or on buses. Some of them have their own teams of stylists, fashion designers and photographers; many have personal web sites.

Controversies

In May 2008, the Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong stepped in to investigate allegations that HKCEE examination papers had been bought, and that K. Oten of Modern Education

Modern Education

Modern Education , formerly Intel Education, is a cram school in Hong Kong. It was founded in 1988 by Ken Ng Kam-Lun. According to the Education Bureau, there are 13 branches across Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories....

 had sent out an analysis the current year's paper to examination candidates by text message during the exam. His employers immediately distanced themselves, saying he had been terminated. Oten had previously been dismissed by King's Glory in April 2006 on several counts of violating his employment contract. The court found him in breach, and ordered him to pay HK$8.87 million in damages to his former employers.

For his satirical dramatisation of the tutoring sector entitled Trick or Cheat 《愛出貓》, Hong Kong director Oxide Pang was sued by one of the sector's biggest stars for libel. Kevin Ko, co-founder of Ever Learning, alleges the film was a libellous portrayal of him. The film's main character, named Seven Ko, uses all manner of unethical means, including bribery and having sex with an exams official to gain access to examination questions.

List cram schools in Hong Kong

• Cantab Education – 11 locations (2011)
• King's Glory Education Centre
• Modern Education
  Modern Education
  Modern Education , formerly Intel Education, is a cram school in Hong Kong. It was founded in 1988 by Ken Ng Kam-Lun. According to the Education Bureau, there are 13 branches across Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories....
  
   – 17 locations (2009)
• Beacon College – 13 locations (2009)
• Ever Learning – 10 locations (2009)