Hong Kong schools record net increase of 4,500 students, reversing outflow trend
Reverse in fortunes for local schools follows departure of more than 80,000 pupils between 2019-20 and 2022-23
Hong Kong has reversed the trend of its declining school population by adding about 4,500 students, a net increase that an industry leader has attributed to fewer families moving abroad and more professionals arriving under talent schemes with their children.
The increase came after more than 80,000 pupils left Hong Kong schools between 2019-20 and 2022-23 amid anti-government protests and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Education Bureau recently submitted enrolment figures to the Legislative Council that covered all government, aided, private, international and direct subsidy scheme schools as of September 2024.
The Post calculated the net increase by comparing the enrolment figures for Kindergarten One to Form Five in September 2023 with those from Kindergarten Two to Form Six a year later to determine the population change.
The tally excluded the 2023-24 Form Six students, who later left to pursue post-secondary education or find work. There has been no headcount exercise after they left Form Six.
The number of pupils enrolled increased from about 741,000 to around 745,500.