London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Axing of dozens of classes doesn’t mean fewer pupils, education chief insists

Axing of dozens of classes doesn’t mean fewer pupils, education chief insists

But Kevin Yeung notes more people, including many pupils, have been leaving the city with their families.

Hong Kong’s education minister has insisted there was “not a significant drop” in the number of pupils enrolled in primary schools, although official figures show more than 60 classes have been cut citywide amid a wave of emigration over the past year.

But Kevin Yeung Yun-hung noted on Friday that more people, including many pupils, had been leaving the city with their families, and said the government would conduct its annual headcount of students by the middle of the month to assess any impact and come up with measures if needed.

A Post check of the Primary School Profiles 2021, published recently by the Committee on Home-School Co-operation, found 54 schools were each expected to cut one Primary One class from September, while six schools would cut two each.

Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung.


With each class typically having about 25 pupils, that meant 1,600 spots were cut.

According to the Education Bureau, about 60,000 six-year-olds were eligible to study in Primary One this year.

The figures for the profiles, compiled annually by the committee, were taken from records in March and April. Most local schools opened on September 1 for the new academic year.

“I think there is some misunderstanding on the figures … Does it mean we are seeing a significant drop in students? That is not really the case,” Yeung told reporters after attending a Legislative Council meeting.

“It does not actually reflect the forecast of the [number] of possible Primary One students.

“What we will be doing by the middle of this month is a headcount of the new Primary One students, then we will know better [if there is] any major change in the population or the number of students admitted to Primary One.”

Primary school heads who spoke to the Post said they believed the cutting of dozens of classes was prompted by a wave of emigration following the introduction of the Beijing-imposed national security law in June last year.

Another factor, they added, was that many pupils who lived just across the border in mainland China but studied in Hong Kong had also withdrawn because of Covid-19 travel restrictions following months of online classes only.

Hong Kong has seen a wave of emigration over the past year.


Chu Wai-lam, chairman of the North District Primary School Heads Association, said he believed the actual drop in student numbers could even be more serious.

“More [families] might have emigrated during the summer holidays, while some cross-boundary students have also dropped out during that period,” Chu said.

In July, official data showed more than 15,000 pupils had quit school in 12 months, with nearly 691,000 students enrolled in primary and secondary schools as of October last year, down from more than 706,000 registered in 2019.

Meanwhile, figures from the Census and Statistics Department last month showed a net outflow of about 89,200 residents over the year from mid-2020.

Britain, Australia, Canada and the United States all revealed new immigration pathways for Hongkongers following the implementation of the sweeping security law, which targets acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces and carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
×