4 Hong Kong schools to close as 9 seek mergers over insufficient enrolment

SKH Tseung Kwan O Kei Tak Primary School.

Photo: Google Maps Four of 15 Hong Kong public primary schools at risk of closure due to insufficient enrolment plan to shut down, while nine are seeking to merge with other institutions, the Education Bureau has said.

One intended to run Primary One classes privately from the coming school year, it said.

The bureau said four schools would gradually wind down operations or at the latest end their services by the 2029-30 academic year, and nine had applied to merge with other institutions.

But one of the institutions did not need to choose between closure or merger because it had benefited from arrangements introduced earlier to help schools that were merging, allowing it to join next year’s central Primary One allocation scheme directly.

As many as 15 schools – the highest number in recent years – were barred from operating subsidised Primary One classes in the coming academic year because of insufficient enrolment.

The institutions at risk – one government and 14 subsidised schools – have the option of closing, merging, or going private.

Under the current policy, a local school must secure at least 16 students to run one subsidised Primary One class.

Schools that fail to secure one class have to submit survival plans to the government and face closure after three years if the plans are not approved, while authorities have been urging institutions to consider mergers with others.

To facilitate a smooth transition, the bureau said it had established a dedicated task force, supported by officers from the school development sections of regional education offices as well as retired principals.

The task force has already met sponsoring bodies and school representatives to hear concerns and provide professional advice on future planning.

Schools at risk of closure must submit detailed proposals by the end of April, which will be reviewed before approvals are announced.

The bureau said the schools should keep staff, students and parents informed and continue to prioritise student welfare throughout the process.

It pledged ongoing support to help affected institutions navigate the changes and sustain development.

The Fresh Fish Traders’ School at Tai Kok Tsui.

Photo: Jelly Tse Among the schools facing closure, the Fresh Fish Traders’ School in Tai Kok Tsui, which has a long history of struggling to survive, said it had decided to merge with a like-minded institution in the district and had already submitted

原文链接: 南华早报