A former administrator at the English Schools Foundation (ESF) has been sentenced to 25 months in prison for accepting bribes to manipulate kindergarten admissions. Fatima Rumjahn, 56, pled guilty to multiple charges related to conspiring to accept advantages in exchange for altering application statuses at ESF’s Wu Kai Sha International Kindergarten.

The court found that Rumjahn received over HK$640,000 from 13 parents and an intermediary between 2018 and 2021. She exploited her access to the admissions system to elevate children who did not meet the criteria for priority status—reserved for children of staff, alumni, or families who purchased a HK$500,000 bond—thereby securing them interviews and admission opportunities. Some beneficiaries of the scheme were initially listed between 51st and 212th on the waiting list.

Deputy District Judge Amy Chan Wai-mun noted the defendant’s actions constituted an abuse of power and a breach of public trust that deprived eligible applicants of fair consideration. The judge emphasized that Rumjahn had taken advantage of parents’ desire to secure better education for their children and had proactively offered to manipulate admissions for financial gain. Without intervention from the ESF, which reported the misconduct, the bribery could have continued unchecked.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) initiated the investigation in 2022, charging Rumjahn and some of the involved parents. As part of a plea deal, Rumjahn testified against 13 co-defendants, including parents aged 35 to 46 and a 48-year-old businessman accused of bribery to obtain an interview slot for his business partner’s daughter. This cooperation led to the conviction of all 114 defendants involved in the broader case, who were sentenced last month to prison terms ranging from eight to 14 months.

During sentencing, some parents argued they were less culpable, attributing the primary blame to Rumjahn’s greed. The judge agreed that the former administrator bore the heaviest responsibility, given her central role in orchestrating the bribery scheme. While condemning the defendants for undermining fair competition, Judge Chan acknowledged Rumjahn’s assistance in convicting the others and consequently reduced her sentence by half from the original four years and two months.

The court also ordered Rumjahn to repay ESF the full amount of bribes collected within three years. The case underscores the authorities’ stance on zero tolerance toward corruption, particularly in sectors affecting equitable educational opportunities.