Little Frog Learning Centre, a chain English tutoring school, is suspected to be closing down. It is understood that there are currently about 900 victims, with each case involving amounts ranging from 1,500 to 5,000 Hong Kong dollars. Some teachers have also reported that they have not been paid. The Education Bureau has responded to media inquiries, acknowledging the situation and promptly contacting the school to understand the circumstances. They are currently following up on the matter through established procedures.
Legislative Council member Jiang Yuhuan criticized the lack of consumer protection laws in Hong Kong in a Facebook post, pointing out that in recent years, there have been frequent school closures annually, leaving consumers vulnerable. She urged the government to do more than just organizing courtesy campaigns and to focus on improving consumer rights legislation.
Amid reports of the complete closure of Little Frog Learning Centre, parents revealed that they received a text message from the school on the 7th of this month, informing them of the suspension of operations until further notice due to internal issues. They were given the option to request a refund or wait for the center to reopen. However, subsequent attempts to reach the responsible person were unsuccessful, leaving many parents worried about the likelihood of the institution closing down and the difficulty in recovering their refunds, leading them to seek help from the authorities.
Notices were posted at the entrances of Little Frog’s branches, stating that the closure was temporary due to internal issues that needed to be resolved, with the schools ceasing operations for two weeks.
The Education Bureau has disclosed that there are seven private schools registered under the Education Ordinance offering non-formal courses, located in Yuen Long and Tseung Kwan O respectively. The bureau advises citizens to verify the registration status of educational institutions, fee details, course information, learning environment, and other relevant aspects before enrolling in private school programs. Parents are also reminded to keep receipts as proof in case they need to request refunds from the schools.
The Labour Department has acknowledged receiving complaints from some employees and is actively following up on the incident, reminding employers to adhere to the Employment Ordinance and contractual terms concerning compensation for employees. Additionally, an earlier complaint of unpaid wages has prompted the department to initiate a criminal investigation.
The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority revealed that the five branches of Little Frog are operated by different limited companies, which have reportedly failed to make MPF contributions and payments for six employees totaling around HKD 13,000 for March. The payments for April are due by Friday, and further actions will be taken if the company defaults. The authority has not yet received any employee complaints regarding the matter.
Customs authorities have received reports and are currently investigating the situation. Appropriate enforcement actions will be taken if violations of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance are discovered.
The Consumer Council stated that as some of the outlets of the concerned merchant are still operating, they cannot provide comments at this time.
Upon learning about the incident, Legislative Council member Jiang Yuhuan once again criticized the recurrent closures of schools, yoga centers, and fitness facilities, which often lead to prepaid fees becoming unrecoverable. She shared her past experiences of receiving similar complaints from citizens and highlighted the challenges they face in reclaiming their funds, even with the assistance of relevant authorities.
Jiang pointed out the lack of adequate consumer protection laws in Hong Kong despite the frequent closures of educational institutions and personal service centers in recent years. She emphasized the need for legislative improvements to safeguard consumer rights effectively. She suggested that as an international city, Hong Kong should have its own set of laws to protect consumer interests, including granting collective litigation rights that have been under discussion for years to enhance consumer protection.