Kowloon Tong private school to cease operations, becoming first in Hong Kong to cite emigration wave for demise
- Tak Nga Primary School will gradually wind up classes and conclude all services by 2028
- Sponsoring body says in letter school has failed to admit enough pupils since 2018 because of falling birth rate and emigration wave
A 63-year-old private primary school in Kowloon Tong has begun ceasing operations, becoming the first campus in Hong Kong to attribute its demise to a recent emigration wave and falling birth rate.
In two separate notices issued to parents and alumni on Tuesday, the Sisters Announcers of the Lord, the sponsoring body of Tak Nga Primary School, said it had decided to wind up gradually by halting Primary One classes in the 2024-25 academic year and officially closing down in 2028.
“Since 2018, the school has failed to admit sufficient pupils because of the falling birth rate in Hong Kong, and the problem is further aggravated by the emigration wave in recent years,” the letter stated.
“The school’s sponsoring body has decided to close Tak Nga Primary School in a gradual and orderly manner after prudently considering various factors. But we promise the current pupils can continue to enjoy the best learning resources and complete their primary studies without being affected.
“We have no choice, and are reluctant, to finally bid farewell to fellow residents after more than 60 years.”
The Sisters Announcers of the Lord pledged to press on up until closure and offer timely help to parents inclined to switch schools for their children.
Established in 1960 and located in Yau Yat Chuen, Kowloon Tong, Tak Nga Primary School is a private campus charging an annual tuition fee of HK$42,000 (US$5,350), higher than most direct subsidy schools partly funded by the government.