8,000 people in public primary and secondary schools retired from school principals in the first half of the year

There is a trend of immigrants in Hong Kong, and there is a wave of dropouts in public primary and secondary schools.

Comparing the same school year, there were about 47,000 surplus places in primary and secondary schools in October last year. However, in June this year, it rose sharply to more than 55,000, an increase of nearly 17%, that is, nearly 8,000 people dropped out.

The increase in the remaining number of primary schools is particularly significant, with an increase of nearly 5,400 in the first half of the year, an increase of 75%.

Some principals believe that immigration is one of the reasons for dropouts, and most elementary school students also emigrate with their families. Therefore, the number of dropouts far exceeds that of middle school students. It is expected that the reduction of classes and the killing of schools are inevitable.

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75% increase in remaining primary school places

According to the Student Statistics Report of the Education Bureau, there were 300,521 public sector primary schools in Hong Kong last October, with 293,323 students enrolled, that is, 7,198 remaining places; during the same period, public sector secondary schools had 297,610 places with 257,673 students, that is, the remaining There are as many as 39,937 places.

Relevant data includes government, subsidized, caput schools, excluding direct subsidy, private and international schools.

More than half of the year has passed. Statistics from the Education Bureau in June this year showed that the remaining places in public primary and secondary schools have increased by 7,999.

The remaining places in primary schools increased by 5,389 to 12,587, an increase of 75%; the remaining places in secondary schools increased by 2,610, an increase of about 6.53%, to 42,547.

Zhang Yongbang: The number of immigrants is increasing

Zhang Yongbang, the honorary chairman of the Association of Aided Primary School Principals, said that there is no data on the remaining places in the past. The reasons for student dropouts include immigration and cross-border students not coming to Hong Kong due to the epidemic. The main reason is not clear. He agrees that the number of immigrants is increasing, which is estimated to account for Than a lot.

Zhang Yongbang said that if elementary school students want to study abroad, their brothers and sisters will drop out together.

(Profile picture / Photo by Liang Pengwei)

As for elementary school students, there are obviously more dropouts than middle school students. Zhang Yongbang said that middle school students can go overseas to study on their own, while most of the elementary school students immigrate with their families. "As for middle school students, if I go to study abroad, I don’t have to go; but elementary school students want to go abroad for further studies. Take care of yourself, parents and other brothers and sisters have to go together, and the number of dropouts from elementary school will increase.” According to his understanding of parents, a student enrolling in a school with a better overseas environment can cost up to 500,000 yuan in living expenses and tuition for a year. "Immigration of middle-class families has the most impact on the remaining places. Grassroots families cannot afford the expensive fees. Most of the wealthy families do not go to public schools."

Zhang Yongbang estimates that the immigration trend continues. Even if efforts are made to implement small class teaching and allocate places, the crisis of shrinking classes and killing schools is inevitable.

Education Bureau: The criteria for class approval for primary schools have been relaxed

The Education Bureau stated that it will continue to closely monitor the changes in the student population, the anti-epidemic policies and immigration controls in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and maintain close communication with the industry, and encourage the industry to plan early to ensure the overall sustainable development of the school system. Use resources to maintain the quality of education.

Regarding the decline in the primary one school-age population, the Education Bureau stated that it had discussed relevant countermeasures with the industry as early as 2018, and will implement targeted relief measures from the 2019/20 school year, including relaxing the need to count the number of students at the beginning of the semester. The criteria for approving classes for reduced-class schools will be lowered from 25 students per class to 23 students per class, and will be extended to Primary Six year by year with the students of the class; and the number of classes has been reduced due to the decline in the number of students in Primary One. , If you cannot be absorbed through the existing mechanism for handling excess teachers before the beginning of the next school year, or you can find a teaching post in another school, you can be retained for a maximum of three school years.

The authorities believe that the industry generally supports the relevant measures and agrees to help schools stabilize the teaching team.

With regard to secondary schools, based on available information, the overall Secondary One student population has gradually recovered in the 2017/18 school year. The Education Bureau has reached a consensus with the industry on the direction and strategic framework for response.

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