The English Schools Foundation is continuing to pull out all stops to protect its Government subsidy, a topic I've covered previously. Yesterday in a Legco committee meeting Education Secretary Arthur Li continued the pressure, saying he was open-minded on continuing the subvention (subsidy). He also said the ESF's preferential treatment over other international schools and the historical reasons behind the subsidy should be revisited.

This lead to a full-court press by the ESF. On radio and in the press various members of the Foundation have responded with the usual litany of reasons to maintain the ESF's subsidy. With one exception. From the SCMP:

Sarah Rigby, chairwoman of the foundation's joint council of parent teacher associations, argued that parents of English-speaking children had a right to subsidised education, but conceded that it was unfair that parents with children in other international schools did not receive such support. "I would ask you to look at a voucher system as a way forward," she said.

HK's Government is often lauded for presiding over the free-est economy in the world. Subsidising one group to the exclusion of competitors in the same sector is not is the hallmark of a free economy. Are Arthur Li and the SAR Government up to the challenge of introducing a voucher system? Here's hoping.