Don’t close classes and shut schools: educators
The educational sector called on the government on Saturday to explore alternative solutions to address the declining enrollment issue, instead of simply cutting classes and shutting down schools. Earlier this month, it was reported that a school in Cheung Chau was denied permission to take in primary one pupils for the new academic year, after falling just one short of the 16 children required for a class. Lawmaker and vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, Tang Fei said the authorities' approach of "reduce classes and close schools" can only provide temporary relief and lacks foresight. Tang told an RTHK programme that the current system of 18 secondary school nets and 36 primary school nets may not be applicable now as transportation in the city has improved. "It's easy to get around [the city] now. [Students] of course flock to areas where prestigious schools are located. From a macro perspective, we may need to review whether to divide the school network into such small sections," he said. Speaking at the same programme, the former chairman of the Hong Kong Association of the Heads of Secondary Schools, James Lam, also urged the government to look at the big picture, suggesting initiatives to bring students from different countries to the SAR. "We should consider how our education can integrate into the overall development of our country, and how we can contribute as a member of the Belt and Road Initiative. We should explore ways to promote high-quality education beyond Hong Kong," Lam said.