Schools are encouraged to make early plans for mergers and upgrades, as the city faces a structural decline in its student population, Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin said on Wednesday.
Her announcement follows a record decision by the Education Bureau to bar 15 public primary schools from enrolling Primary One (P1) students in the upcoming academic year after they failed to meet the minimum admission requirement of 16 pupils.
The affected schools include 14 subsidized schools and one government school. Four of the 15 schools are located in the Eastern District, an area that has seen sharper enrollment drops due to an ageing population and limited new public housing developments.
Speaking on a radio program, Choi said the government has aimed for a “soft landing,” introducing various measures to help schools cope with falling pupil numbers over the past decade, but those measures have largely run their course.
Choi stressed that there is “no room for further retreat” and urged school operators to adopt a more proactive approach in the face of declining numbers.
The Education Bureau has already reached out to the parents of approximately 100 affected P1 students to help arrange alternative school placements.
Choi encouraged school sponsoring bodies to hold early discussions with their affiliated schools to plan for possible mergers and upgrades, suggesting that even those currently running two or three classes should consider expansion to ensure stable development. A special task force has also been established to support schools through the transition.
