Hong Kong primary schools encouraged to merge with offer of HK$1 million, 3-year retention period for affected teachers
- Education Bureau unveils policy as city records lowest Primary One enrolment in 14 years, with just 42,277 children registering for public schools for next academic year
- Industry chiefs welcome new scheme as step in right direction, but some say funds might not be enough to encourage dedicated school bodies to make the leap
Hong Kong primary schools that agree to combine with other institutions will receive HK$1 million (US$127,700) per merger and be allowed to retain affected teachers for three years under a new scheme amid a decline in the student population.
The Education Bureau published a circular on Friday unveiling the policy to encourage primary schools with low enrolment numbers to join up with other campuses by offering one-off payments and a guaranteed retention period for teachers facing redundancy.
“Schools may consider merging with another school to consolidate resources, and enhance synergy and the quality of learning and teaching,” the bureau wrote.
Primary One enrolment has fallen to its lowest level in 14 years as only 42,277 children registered for public schools for the next academic year.
The situation is expected to worsen in the coming years. The number of births in 2022 and 2023 respectively stood at 32,500 and 33,200, with not all of the prospective pupils likely to enrol at local schools.
The bureau has called for more primary and secondary schools to undergo mergers, but sponsoring bodies have so far shunned the idea over concerns the scheme would act as an indirect method of closing down campuses.