June 2026

On June 30, 2026, the Kentville Kindergarten in Kowloon Tong closed its doors after 60 years.

The school first announced closure in September 2023. In a formal notice sent to the Education Bureau, it outlined a three-year phased closure plan. 2023/2024 School Year (SY) was the final K1 intake. It admitted no new pupils in the next two years. This enabled every pupil to complete their three years; none were left short. Giving reasons for the closure, the school cited a high percentage of its personnel including the supervisor, headmistress, management, and senior teachers who were at or near retirement age. Another factor was the declining birth rate. The notice said that, like all schools in Hong Kong, Kentville was impacted by the decline in birth rate. At the closure, Miss W. H. Wong, Supervisor of Kentville said, “We are very grateful that we have now completed our three-year phased closure plan, and all pupils of the graduating class of 2025/2026 SY, our last cohort, have completed their three-year programme at Kentville.

We appreciate and are thankful for the guidance, support and resources from the Education Bureau throughout the years.”

The school sent an open letter to past and present members of the Kentville community. It said that Miss W. H. Wong had founded Kentville in 1966 with the vision of a school with a happy learning environment where young children would receive a foundation in academics, morals, healthy habits, manners and a positive can-do attitude. “I think you will agree, we have achieved this mission.” said Miss Wong.

“We are enormously thankful for the unceasing support of the entire Kentville community, including teachers, parents, pupils, administrators and student care staff.  You made it happen!  As we look back, it is hard to believe that 30,000 pupils went to Kentville. We take pride in this legacy. 60 years is a complete cycle in Chinese culture, and we are proud to have completed this important cycle.”

Miss Wong and her staff put enormous effort into the school which resulted in an effective learning system that helped the pupils learn with confidence. “We are very gratified to see our graduates leave Kentville with a good foundation and positive attitudes,” Miss Wong said. “We believed in doing everything wholeheartedly. This was our motto, and it was the most important lesson we passed on to our pupils, “Try your best and put your heart into everything you do.”

She was especially proud that Kentville provided a strong foundation in Chinese. “To be Chinese, one must study and learn Chinese language and culture. Not only did we teach our pupils how to read and write Chinese; they also learnt the virtues of Chinese traditions and culture. We hoped to teach each pupil to become a caring and respectful person and grow up to be a law-abiding citizen.”

Miss Wong reminisced about the rich learning journey they have had at Kentville for the whole community. “Together with our pupils, we have travelled the world and learnt so much about important topics such as climate change and its impact. We explored how individual choices can help the environment and protect endangered species. We also learned how throughout history, humankind has invented new tools and solutions to improve our lives. Our pupils are stewards of the world, and we hope to have planted the seeds for them to use their creativity and intellect to give back to society.”

Speaking at the closure of the school, Miss Wong said that her heart was full of deep gratitude. “I am immensely thankful that what started as a small kindergarten has continued for so long and served the Hong Kong community for sixty years. It has been an honour to be part of early childhood education in Hong Kong. It has been our privilege to have touched the lives of so many pupils with our hearts and dedication and send them on a path of success.

We are so proud of all the graduates of our school. They have all been great achievers, locally and overseas, and in many diverse and meaningful public and private sector roles. We recognise all of them for their choices in their career and for their contribution to society.”

She praised the collective effort of all the stakeholders. “We are very thankful for the unwavering trust and support of the parents. It has been our privilege to be entrusted with the care and education of your children. It has been such a joy to teach siblings and cousins, fathers and sons and mothers and daughters. What a special privilege to be part of all the families of Kentville and watch everyone grow up.”

She also praised the staff. “Over the years, our devoted staff have invested their utmost effort into teaching and nurturing every child in their care. A significant portion of our teachers started their careers at Kentville, with many continuing their service until retirement. What Kentville has accomplished these past six decades is a result of the unwavering dedication of our staff and I express my deepest gratitude to them.”

Headmistress Andrea Leung said, “The school’s closure marked the end of an era for everyone at Kentville and brought about many emotions. We will treasure the smiles and joyful laughter of our pupils. We will hold dear the lively conversations and deep friendships forged among all of us. We shall cherish these moments and memories forever in our hearts.”

She said, “These six decades have taught us that, while change is constant, we all have an immense ability to learn new things and adapt.  A growth mindset, a positive attitude, and a strong belief that ‘I can do it’ can help us all stay resilient and continue to thrive.  Our pupils are the world’s future and hope, and it was our privilege and honour as teachers to be able to help them grow and flourish. We wish everyone good health, every success, and happiness in their lives.”

These were Miss Wong’s and Miss Leung’s closing greetings to the Kentville community:

“We bid farewell with a big ‘Thank you and goodbye’

May you all continue to spread your wings and soar!

May you find meaning and purpose, and become the best you can be!

May a rainbow soar above you in a sky that is filled with sunshine and is always blue!”

These are the words of Miss W. Y. Tse who served at the school for 40 years and became Head Teacher:

“Kentville has become my second home – a place for which I hold profound affection.

I am very grateful for the opportunities provided by Kentville which allowed me to grow from Teacher to Head Teacher and have an incredibly rewarding career. Throughout the years, I have grown along with my pupils and the school and to this day, our team’s motto still resonates with me: “The Kentville Spirit - Nothing is Impossible”

I also feel especially blessed to have worked with a wonderful group of colleagues. We supported and inspired each other, shared countless joyful moments, and built precious memories that remain strong to this day.”

This is the tribute of Nicky Lee, who went to Kentville in 1984. He sent his two daughters Nicole and Christie there in 2016 and 2018:

“Kentville is a sanctuary to me. It is a place and environment where I first tasted the joy of learning, kindness and care in a small community. With consistent engagement and work I put in, I reaped the rewards of knowledge, courage, manners and friendship. Everyday I was greeted with compassion, the smiles of the teachers and the hopeful eyes from fellow students. These values and cheerful images are engraved deep in my heart and will never fade. They have served as a corner stone for me to embrace various challenges in life. When my children had the opportunity to attend Kentville, my family was filled with joy. We share the same appreciation with many families and friends whose children studied at Kentville.

I would like to express my utmost gratitude to Kentville and all of its dedicated teachers and staff for nurturing me and my children to become compassionate and respectful persons. Congratulations to Kentville for shaping bright futures and building a loving community.” He said.

About Kentville

• Founded in 1966 by W. H. Wong, Supervisor
• 2 School premises: Kent Road and Dorset Crescent, Kowloon Tong
• Private Independent Kindergarten
• No Debenture & No Capital Levy
• K1 to K3 for students ages 3-5
• Annual school fees of HK$46,000 in 2025/2026 SY
• More than 30,000 students have graduated from Kentville since 1966
• Strong track record with graduates gaining entrance into top local primary schools

School website link: http://www.kentville.edu.hk/

For further enquiries please email: pressenquiry@kentville.edu.hk

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