- Hong Kong's Education Bureau reviews school policies amid declining student numbers, proposing changes to the Secondary School Places Allocation (SSPA) system to manage enrolment challenges.
- Proposed adjustments include raising class caps and altering student-to-class ratios, potentially intensifying competition and disadvantaging underperforming schools.
- Plans also target under-enrolled schools with mergers, vocational courses, and funding strategies, aligning with broader government budget cuts of 7 percent from 2024/25 to 2027/28.
The declining school-age population in Hong Kong is prompting the Education Bureau to reassess school placement policies. During a recent meeting with school representatives and council members, the Bureau suggested modifications to the Secondary School Places Allocation (SSPA) System, potentially impacting underprivileged schools.
The suggested changes include increasing the cap on the number of classes in high schools, permitting 4 or more class schools to submit for 5 or more classes in the subsequent year, as well as amending the student-to-class ratio. These changes will have massive consequences on popular schools as well as struggling schools in trying to enroll students, possibly resulting in more competition and difficulties for less able institutions.
In the face of concerns regarding the quality of learning environments and opportunities for collective learning, the Education Bureau is actively examining the existing policies to ensure these remain appropriate in light of structural decline in the school-going population.
In addition, the Bureau is contemplating proposals to target under-enrolled schools, such as mergers, injection of more resources by education groups, co-operation with other schools for high school curriculum, and offering vocational education courses.
The plan also includes the possibility of limitations placed on specific school tactics, designed to deter underperforming schools from staying open while consolidating choices to promote a more varied curriculum to suit today's students.
In addition, proposals are being discussed to enable schools that are currently running with 4 or more classes to apply for 5 or more classes in the following academic year, provided that they can meet particular criteria. This action aims to give a better indication of schools' enrolment positions.
These policies are against a background of government cuts, with departments being required to save 7 percent between 2024/25 and 2027/28. Although these policies might make it more difficult for failing schools to recruit students and lead to schools closing, they are also intended to cut government spending.
