Hong Kong’s decline in the number of school-age children is a structural trend rather than a temporary fluctuation and is unlikely to reverse in the short term, Secretary for Education Christine Choi said. More than 120 primary schools reportedly reduced their Primary One classes in the 2026-27 school year, highlighting the immediate pressure on the sector.
Speaking on a Commercial Radio programme on September 5, Choi said she did not expect the decline to reverse over the next five to 10 years. She said measures previously used to maintain school numbers, including reducing class sizes, lowering enrolment thresholds and increasing teacher numbers, had largely been exhausted.
Choi urged schools and sponsoring bodies to plan early for possible mergers or the cessation of operations, rather than waiting until falling enrolment left them with no practical choice. She said the sector needed to face the demographic reality and focus on education quality.
She said mergers should not be viewed as a rescue plan for individual schools. Instead, they could create larger schools and improve students’ learning experience and school life, according to reports of her remarks.
The Education Bureau is reported to offer schools that merge a one-off grant of HK$1 million. Some surplus teachers may also be retained during the transition period, according to reports on the arrangements.
For schools that close without merging, Choi said student welfare would be prioritised. The bureau would help students transfer to other schools in the same district, and resources would not be withdrawn solely because a school was due to close, she said.
Choi said the new school year had begun smoothly overall. The Education Bureau is also expected to launch a campus initiative focused on student relationships and mental health as schools respond to the changing circumstances.