London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

Hundreds of Students Likely to Leave Hong Kong Schools

Hundreds of Students Likely to Leave Hong Kong Schools

A poll by a Hong Kong teachers union shows many students will not come back to school after the upcoming summer break.
A Hong Kong teacher’s union says hundreds of students are likely to leave the Chinese territory’s schools after the upcoming summer vacation.

The Professional Teacher’s Union (PTU) conducted a poll of 180 primary and secondary schools. It reported that more than half said they expected to lose at least 10 students. Four schools said they had already lost more than 50 students this year.

The head of the PTU, Fung Wai-wah, said he believes one reason parents are taking their children out of schools is because of recent government interference in education. The government has ordered schools to “educate” students about a new national security law passed by the Chinese government last June.

The law sharply limits speech and other freedoms in Hong Kong. Critics say it is meant to silence voices of people who disagree with the government.

In January, 47 pro-democracy activists and former opposition party lawmakers were arrested on charges of subversion under the national security law.

Moves by China in recent years to restrict freedoms in Hong Kong resulted in protests like the one that drew 1.7 million people in August 2019.

Hong Kong schools are now required to teach their students about the national security law and watch for teachers and students who express opposing views.

Fung says teachers are against the government interference. “Subjects and teaching materials are being changed all the time,” he told Radio Free Asia. He added that teachers are worried about losing their jobs if they do not follow the Chinese government’s demands.

Fung said the government denies there is a problem. He called on officials to treat the situation “more seriously” and take steps to reduce interference so they can regain the trust of parents.

But programs that permit people with British National Overseas passports to move to Britain or Canada are getting popular.

About 15,000 people seem to be getting ready to go to Britain and about 6,000 have applied to go to Canada.

In the first four months of 2021, almost 12,000 people applied to police to receive a document proving they have no criminal record. The document is often required for people seeking to move to another country.

Hong Kong’s education bureau reported that nearly 20,000 students left primary and secondary schools in 2021 compared to last year. More than 5,000 students left private schools over the same period.

Dion Chen is the chairman of a schools council in Hong Kong. He agreed that students are leaving at a fast rate, but said the national security law is not the only cause.

He says families are concerned by changes in recent years that have affected the overall situation in Hong Kong. Chen added that some countries have also loosened restrictions for people seeking to leave Hong Kong.

Former teacher Yeung Tze-chun said schools that require tuition are also losing students. The parents of those students are more likely to have the money to leave Hong Kong. But these losses could leave the strongest schools to compete for just a few remaining students.

“I can only see the situation getting worse in the future,” Yeung said.

I’m Dan Friedell.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
×