Hong Kong authorities will use projected population and student numbers over the next five to 10 years to identify schools that may struggle to form Primary One classes, allowing them to issue earlier warnings and provide assistance.
The plan comes after 15 schools were unable to operate a Primary One class in the 2026–27 academic year because they failed to secure the required 16 pupils, according to RTHK.
Education Secretary Christine Choi said authorities would notify schools in advance if forecasts indicated that they might not have enough pupils to form a Primary One class. She also said officials would assist schools that need to merge as the school-age population falls.
The assessment will take account of student trends and population changes in different districts, rather than relying only on current enrolment figures. Authorities are monitoring how these patterns may affect class numbers and school viability in the coming five to 10 years.
The Education Bureau hopes school-sponsoring bodies will take the initiative by identifying schools with similar focuses, combining resources and increasing their scale through mergers. Choi said mergers should not be seen solely as a response to recruitment problems, but also as a way for strong sponsoring bodies to integrate resources and plan for the longer term.
Star Headline reported that an increasing number of school-sponsoring bodies had begun reviewing their schools early and considering merger plans. The report did not identify the schools involved.
Authorities are continuing to monitor population and enrolment trends, with early assessment and notification planned for schools facing possible shortfalls in Primary One pupils. No specific schools or merger timetable were given in the supplied information.