Hong Kong education faces school closures amid declining birth rates

Hong Kong is facing a significant wave of primary school class reductions and potential closures due to a declining birth rate. For the 2026/27 academic year, over 120 government-run and subsidized schools are expected to reduce their class numbers, with many primary schools potentially operating with only a single class per grade.

The Education Bureau has indicated that this trend is unlikely to reverse within the next decade. Experts suggest that the crisis could soon extend to secondary schools as the student population continues to shrink. To address the issue, proposals have been made to transform vacant school premises into dormitories for non-local students and to encourage schools to recruit students from overseas to bolster the local education industry.

School administrators are advising parents to move away from the obsession with “elite” schools and instead focus on a school’s unique characteristics and how well it aligns with a child’s individual personality and future needs. As the school placement landscape becomes more unpredictable, emphasis is being placed on researching school-based curricula, such as AI literacy and international exchange programs, rather than following traditional prestige rankings.