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Shirley Zhao

Sixteen secondary schools opened only two Form One classes each this year and are at risk of closing as the number of children leaving primary school continues to drop.
Secondary school profile booklets published yesterday also show that 13 schools have each had one Form One class scrapped because there were not enough pupils.
Eastern and Yau Tsim Mong were the worst hit districts, with each having four classes chopped. Many schools have listed various exchange programmes, after-school activities and scholarships on their profiles to attract parents' attention.
Tai Tak-ching, chairman of the Hong Kong Island Schools Headmasters' Association, said the falling school population, caused by a low birth rate, had badly affected Eastern District.
"Students also move a lot on Hong Kong Island," said Tai. "Parents living in Eastern may choose schools in Wan Chai, or Central and Western."
Two Form One classes were cut in Yuen Long, and one each went in North District, Sha Tin, Tuen Mun and Wong Tai Sin.
Tuen Mun has five secondary schools with only two Form One classes, Southern District has four, Eastern has three, while Wan Chai, Yau Tsim Mong, Kwai Tsing and Sai Kung have one each.
"Schools are facing difficulties such as redundant teachers and fewer resources," said Mak Yiu-kwong, principal of CMA Secondary School in Shek Kip Mei.
"But the crisis has also enabled schools to improve the quality of teaching by small-class education."
Mak said the number of pupils entering Form One was expected to pick up soon, especially in North District, Tuen Mun and Tin Shui Wai, where the many cross-border children would soon enter secondary school.
Schools normally have four or five Form One classes.
The number of children entering secondary schools has dropped 12 per cent from 64,758 in 2012 to 57,151 last year. Officials project that the number will fall further to around 54,000 next year before it gradually picks up again in 2017 to around 69,000.


16 Hong Kong secondary schools face risk of closure as number of Form One classes are cut