Enrolment slumps at Hong Kong’s direct subsidy scheme secondary schools, hit hardest by wave of emigration
- Popular with bright, better-off students, semi-private schools’ enrolment rate sinks to record low
- International schools maintain enrolments by easing entry requirements, taking in local students
Enrolment at Hong Kong’s direct subsidy scheme (DSS) secondary schools has slumped to a record low following a wave of emigration that began last year.
The 59 secondary schools, which have more freedom than others to set their curriculum, fees and entrance criteria, saw the total number of students enrolled fall below 45,000 last year.
They had room for up to 57,000 students, meaning there were 12,300 vacancies in these schools, traditionally popular among bright, better-off students.
The latest official report on student enrolment in different types of schools indicated that DSS secondary schools bore the brunt of student departures since last year.
Their enrolment rate of 78 per cent not only fell below 80 per cent for the first time, but was also the lowest among all types of schools.
The DSS secondary schools account for 14 per cent of almost 326,000 secondary students in Hong Kong.
The majority attend 390 government and aided schools, which saw enrolment rates decline to 83 and 85 per cent respectively, from nearly 90 per cent in 2020.