A mainland Chinese woman in Hong Kong wanted to send her son to a local primary school. However, after her son failed the initial interview for admission to the school, the mother attempted a bribe the headmaster with HK$20,000.
The headmaster reported the case to the authorities, and Li Kwan-ping, 45, was charged with attempting to bribe a public official, the headmaster of Hennessy Public School, Lo Pui-shan. She was eventually sentenced to four months in prison.
The case evidence shows a series of events undertaken by Li Kwan-ping.
With her son, she obtained a permit to enter Hong Kong from mainland China in June 2022. Soon after she arrived, the primary school received an application from her son for admission. The boy attended an initial interview with the school but was denied a second-round interview. Subsequently, the mother again met with the headmaster, requested that her son be given a second chance, and was told to wait for notification.
In July, Li Kwan-ping visited the school a third time and requested the headmaster to reconsider her son’s application for admission. She then handed the headmaster an envelope containing the money with her son’s name on it.
Headmaster refuses to accept the bribe
The headmaster was shocked to receive the envelope full of cash and refused to accept the bribe. Two days later, the headmaster met with the mother and informed her that her application for admission had been denied. The mother further claimed that if the school was willing to accept her son, the money could be taken as a donation.
Taken back by her lack of remorse and the latest attempt to gain admission for her son, the headmaster reported the incident to the authorities.
After her arrest, she admitted that her son could not be admitted to the school because she had filled in the application form incorrectly, so she visited the headmaster three times, requesting a slot for her son.
The judge hearing the case later in the year said he understood that it was common for parents to want their children to be successful, but bribing a public official was a grave offense in Hong Kong; it would undermine social integrity and fair competition.
He further said such selfish behavior would also exploit those who rely on their strengths for advancement and distort the system, which the court must address.
In mainland China, the news of the mother’s indictment sparked much debate and ridicule: “I’ve never heard of a bribe recipient reporting the briber on their initiative!”
Many netizens mocked that bribes received at schools in China are much more severe. For example, someone said: “If you bribe a headmaster on the mainland for HK$20,000, you will be looked down upon!” Another stated: “In my small town, the headmaster wouldn’t even look at HK$20,000!”
A third netizen said: “Over 90 percent of officials are scared to death at the possibility of this law being introduced to the mainland!”
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