A Parent’s Guide to Homeschooling in Hong Kong: What Families Really Do

Here is a simple summary of what Hong Kong homeschooling families usually do, based on my years of research and conversations with many parents.

1. Stealth homeschooling

This means you do not report your homeschooling situation to the EDB. 

Most homeschooling families in Hong Kong choose this approach, especially Western homeschooling families.

Homeschooling families usually use stealth homeschooling when:

a. Their children are moving from an international school or private school to homeschooling 

b.  They are foreigners who have just arrived in Hong Kong 

c. They left Hong Kong for some years and have now returned 

d. Their children have never attended a local school in Hong Kong 

In the above situations, the EDB and social workers normally do not follow the case.

2. Homeschooling monitored by the EDB

This happens when:

a. Your child is leaving a local school and you honestly tell the EDB that you are homeschooling (like my own homeschooling case) 

b. You are a foreigner who reports your homeschooling case because you want to follow the rules in a new country.

c. You contact the EDB hoping for homeschooling support in Hong Kong.

However, many parents discover that EDB officers usually do not understand homeschooling well and cannot provide any homeschooling support.

Written by Dr Lai ( a homeschool researcher and author)