Primary schools offering just one or "zero" P1 class on the rise

In the new school year, around 60 primary schools will offer only one primary one class with 15 other schools offering zero new classes.

Many are in the North District with some schools also seeking early mergers with sister schools.

The city's school-age population continues to dip.

Except for the Wan Chai district, 17 other districts saw primary schools forced to cut class numbers.

This primary school in Sheung Shui, will only run one primary one class in the new school year.

This parent says she had no idea the school operates such few classes.

But she's not worried, noting fewer students mean teachers can take greater care of the pupils.

This parent, meanwhile, worries that could entail the need to merge with other schools in the future which means more uncertainty to students and parents.

The Education Bureau's latest "Primary School Profiles" shows about 120 government-aided primary schools across Hong Kong will have to trim class numbers with about 60 schools offering only one primary one class.

15 schools are barred from operating primary one classes after failing to meet the minimum enrolment threshold of 16 students.

The Subsidized Primary Schools Council says the downward trend is not bottoming out and it's not ruling out the possibility of a new record set for the number of such schools in the next academic year.

Some school-sponsoring bodies have been greenlit to merge a primary school in Tseung Kwan O with "zero" primary one classes with its sister school in Wong Tai Sin, starting in the 2029/30 academic year.

Peter Douglas Koon, the Archbishop's Advisor of Church Ministries Development of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui says population shifts have led more people to move districts so school numbers have to be adjusted accordingly.

But he says many schools are reluctant to be the first to merge, biding the time to see if the situation might change.

He also hopes authorities will step up help to sponsoring bodies or schools during such mergers.