Why falling pupil numbers are hitting Hong Kong subsidised kindergartens harder
Parents aiming to enrol children in popular primary schools are attracted to private kindergartens due to their competitive curriculum
Hong Kong’s declining pupil population has taken a heavier toll on subsidised kindergartens than private ones, according to official statistics, with the sector saying independent institutions are coping better thanks to a more competitive curriculum.
A representative of a preschool operator said that the private sector’s emphasis on academic excellence had attracted parents aiming to enrol their children in popular primary schools by preparing them well for the curriculum.
According to data submitted recently to the Legislative Council by the Education Bureau, the total number of Kindergarten One (K1) pupils enrolled in Hong Kong’s preschools from 2021-22 to 2024-25 has dropped by 26 per cent, from about 50,000 to 37,000.
The toddlers getting into K1 in these four academic years were generally born in 2018 to 2021, when the number of births in the city declined by 31 per cent.
But the impact of the drastic drop in births dealt a heavier blow to the 734 subsidised kindergartens than the 246 independent and non-local preschools.
Subsidised schools in Hong Kong have seen a 29 per cent decrease in enrolments from 37,500 in 2021-22 to 26,500 in the current year.