Hong Kong education minister plans to cut ‘door-knocking’ places to help unpopular schools retain students
- Schools will have fewer places to offer students who are unhappy with government’s central allocation
- Principals expect backlash from unhappy parents but measure aimed at helping schools struggling to attract students
Hong Kong’s education minister has revealed plans to gradually reduce the number of classroom places that can be directly chosen by parents at their preferred schools, with principals expecting a backlash from parents.
The sector considered the move as a way to alleviate pressure on unpopular schools with an insufficient number of pupils amid the shrinking student population.
Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin on Friday told a Legislative Council panel meeting the idea was being considered, but she did not disclose when it would be implemented or the number of places to be scrapped.
Choi said she had consulted the committee on home-school cooperation, an advisory body to the government, on parents’ views about the cutting these discretionary places, and the bureau was going to ask sponsoring groups for advice.
“We will do [reduce] it in a gradual manner,” Choi said, implying authorities would not slash the places in one go.
