, located in Repulse Bay, is at the centre of a management dispute as the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) has filed a lawsuit against the Hong Kong International School Association Limited (HKISAL).){kind=link}
11th September 2025 – (Hong Kong) The Hong Kong International School (HKIS), located in Repulse Bay, is at the centre of a management dispute as the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) has filed a lawsuit against the Hong Kong International School Association Limited (HKISAL). The LCMS, which founded the school, claims that HKISAL has repeatedly violated operational agreements and is now catering exclusively to the affluent.
In a statement issued today, the LCMS accused HKISAL of consistently breaching the operational agreement and various guidelines from the Education Bureau. The church emphasised that the original intent behind establishing HKIS was to provide a Christian-based education accessible to all socio-economic groups in Hong Kong.
The Education Bureau has stated it is monitoring the situation closely, focusing on governance, educational quality, and student welfare, but has refrained from commenting further due to ongoing legal proceedings.
Christian Preus, chairman of the LCMS Board of Directors, asserted that the current management practices diverge significantly from the school’s founding principles, suggesting that the institution now primarily serves a wealthy elite. The LCMS has expressed concerns over the high fees and costly debentures imposed by the school, which they believe contradict the initial intent of providing inclusive education.
If HKISAL fails to rectify these issues, the LCMS is prepared to terminate the management agreement and establish a new institution, known as the Hong Kong Pacific School (HKPS), on the same site. This new school would aim to offer lower tuition fees and improved access to scholarships, reinforcing the church’s commitment to serving a broader community.