In this file photo dated June 11, 2022 a man walks past the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers (HKFEW) Wong Cho Bau School in the Tung Chung district of Hong Kong. (PHOTO / AFP)

Educators called for greater efforts to protect the rights of students and teachers facing school closure, saying they hope more comprehensive and effective policies can be rolled out to facilitate primary and secondary school operations amid a remarkable decline in the student population. 

They made the call after the sponsoring body of Rosaryhill School announced last week that its secondary school will close after the 2025/26 year, and its kindergarten and primary schools will be stewarded by Dalton School Hong Kong from next academic year.

Baljinder Singh, chairperson of the parent-teacher association at Rosaryhill School, said students’ education, especially that of the 50 students with special educational needs, will be greatly affected

The school has operated for 64 years, and its secondary students are able to enjoy subsidies from the government.

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Attributing the closure to a fall in the number of students enrolling and financial difficulties, school sponsoring body Dominican Missions has pledged to form a committee to help students with the transition. It said it will also help students find places in suitable alternative schools.

However, the secondary school’s principal and parent-teacher association have disputed the school sponsoring body’s claims concerning the closure of Rosaryhill Secondary School, saying there has been an increase in the number of students each year and there are no financial difficulties.

Lawmaker Chu Kwok-keung, who represents the education sector, called for the Education Bureau to intervene in the matter and to better protect the rights of students.

He urged Dominican Missions to pay more attention to the emotional needs of students and to consider finding an alternative operator before vacating the premises.

Instead of closing the school, Chu suggested other sponsoring bodies with a similar educational philosophy could be found to take over the management of the school.

He further noted that one-third of Hong Kong’s secondary schools could possibly close in the future, adding that the Education Bureau needs to develop more comprehensive and effective policies to address the issue.

"If the authorities only adopt a policy of minor repairs and patches, the impact will be limited."

Chu said he will propose that the Legislative Council's Panel on Education should discuss the development of primary and secondary schools soon, and examine specific policy considerations for the Education Bureau in addressing the decline in the school-age population.

Baljinder Singh, chairperson of the parent-teacher association at Rosaryhill School, said students’ education, especially that of the 50 students with special educational needs, will be greatly affected.

The Education Bureau said it will remain in close communication with the schools and provide them with appropriate assistance. The Regional Education Offices will also actively provide help to parents and students in need

Singh said he is worried that these students will have difficulty in adapting to different schools, and that he hopes the school's operation might be extended to the 2028-2029 school year, even if that were to mean the government finding an alternative site to accommodate the teachers and students.

Legislator Eunice Yung Hoi-yan, who is also an alumni of Rosaryhill School, said that this decision is unfair to students, as it will affect their preparations for the DSE examination and require them to adjust to a new environment with different teachers and courses.

Tang Fei, vice-president of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, pointed out that when students transfer from Secondary Three to Secondary Four, the curriculum at the original school may not match with the elective subjects in the new school, adding that transferring to another school in Secondary Five or Secondary Six is also difficult. Tang also mentioned that it won’t be easy for teachers to find other jobs.

The Education Bureau said it will remain in close communication with the schools and provide them with appropriate assistance. The Regional Education Offices will also actively provide help to parents and students in need.

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Affected by the low fertility rate, the 2022/23 academic year in Hong Kong saw a staggering loss of over 27,000 primary and secondary students, according to the latest data from the Education Bureau. This is equivalent to the loss of 48 primary schools, and the attrition rate has also increased to 3.99 percent.

Last Saturday, the 55-year old Precious Blood Primary School (Wah Fu Estate) also announced it will close after the 2028/29 academic year due to low enrolment numbers, and the school will stop admitting Primary One students from 2025/26 academic year. 

Current students, including students admitted this school year, will not be affected by the closure of the school and will be able to complete the primary stage at the same school.