Two schools rocked by lack of students

Two subsidized secondary schools can operate only one secondary one class in this school year due to the lower number of students.

Sources say both schools are in the Eastern District.

The two schools involved are not government schools, says the Education Bureau.

The bureau added that secondary schools which operate only one class of secondary one will have to apply for options to continue the development.

The options include asking the school body to inject additional resources, corunning courses with other schools or institutions, merging with other schools, or undergoing special reviews.

But the bureau did not say whether there are primary schools that operate only one primary one class, adding that such schools are not required to apply for development options given that its curriculum arrangements are different from secondary schools.

A Legislative Council discussion paper in October said the bureau has adjusted the number of approved classes in individual public sector schools for the 2021/22 school year after the student headcount conducted in mid-September.

Compared with the number of classes approved in March and April this year, the number of primary one classes has been reduced by 15 and secondary one classes by eight.

Authorities said the figures were affected by factors including relocation, parental choice and the migration of students in and out of Hong Kong.

“It is anticipated that the gradual decrease in future school-age population will not be transient but structural,” the paper read.

It is understood that the Secondary School Heads Association of 18 Districts were discussing the allocation arrangement.

During the discussion, some principals suggested the bureau reduce the number of students per class depending on the situation for each district in the short run, given that the number of students is uneven among districts.

But the principals said the bureau had no intention to roll out short-term alleviation measures as it expected more students to join secondary schools in the coming two years.

Given the lowered birth rate in Hong Kong, some secondary school principals proposed allowing students from cities in the Greater Bay Area to study in Hong Kong in the long run.