13 parents, middleman jailed for up to 14 months over bribes to secure priority admission to international kindergarten

Thirteen parents and a middleman have been jailed for up to one year and two months for offering HK$1.1 million in bribes to secure admission to an English Schools Foundation (ESF) kindergarten. The defendants, aged between 36 and 48, were sentenced at the West Kowloon Law Courts Building on Tuesday. They were found guilty in February of bribing an administrator at ESF Wu Kai Sha International Kindergarten in Ma On Shan. The bribes, ranging from HK$20,000 to HK$200,000, were aimed at securing entry for 12 children who had passed the K1 admission process for the school years 2019 to 2022, but were placed at the bottom of the waiting list.

Former administrator Fatima Rumjahn, who handled applications at the school between September 2018 and August 2021, pleaded guilty in October 2024 and testified against the 14 defendants. She will be sentenced next month. ESF Wu Kai Sha International Kindergarten, a prestigious institution, was implicated in the scandal, which has raised questions about the integrity of its admission process.

According to a press release from the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which investigated the case, Deputy District Judge Amy Chan said on Tuesday that it was understandable that the defendants wanted to help their children “get off to a flying start,” but that they still had to obey the law. Their bribes affected the fairness of the school’s admission process, Chan added.

Among the 13 parents were two couples: Lam Man-hei and her husband Cheung Ka-ming, and Marissa Choy and her partner Lee Chun-long. The other nine were mothers: Julia Wong, Vida Lau, Ma Yin-man, Li Jiebing, Tsui Wai-him, Kong Ching-men, Michelle Wong, Mak Wai-ki and Zhu Shuangye. They were jailed for between eight and 11 months. The 14th defendant, Siu Yu-pong, acted as a middleman to help his business partner’s daughter secure admission to the kindergarten. He received the longest sentence of 14 months, as the judge said he may have made business gains out of it.

The case stemmed from an ICAC investigation that began in 2022, when the commission received a tip-off about potential corruption at the kindergarten. The investigation led to the arrest of the 14 defendants, who were charged with offering bribes to an official. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence of multiple transactions, including cash payments and the exchange of luxury items, which were used to influence the administrator’s decisions.

The sentencing hearing was attended by relatives of the defendants, who expressed remorse for their actions. Some parents argued that they were driven by a desire to provide their children with the best possible education, but the court rejected these excuses, emphasizing that the law must be upheld regardless of the motivations behind the actions.

The conviction of the 14 defendants is a significant blow to the reputation of ESF Wu Kai Sha International Kindergarten, which has long been known for its high standards and rigorous admission process. The school has since announced that it will conduct an internal review to ensure that its procedures are transparent and free from corruption.

The case has also sparked a wider debate in Hong Kong about the role of wealth and privilege in the education system. Critics argue that the bribery scandal highlights the systemic issues that allow affluent parents to bypass the rules and secure admission for their children, while others contend that the punishment is too lenient given the severity of the offenses.

As the sentences are handed down, the defendants face not only legal consequences but also the potential damage to their reputations and the future opportunities of their children. The case serves as a stark reminder that the pursuit of educational excellence must be conducted within the bounds of the law, and that corruption will not be tolerated in the Hong Kong education system.

In the coming weeks, the ICAC will continue to monitor the situation closely, ensuring that justice is served and that the school’s admission process is restored to its former integrity. The conviction of the 14 defendants is a clear message to potential offenders that bribery will not be ignored, and that the law will be enforced consistently and firmly.