'School merger scheme to launch as soon as next year'

Education Secretary Christine Choi has announced plans for a new scheme aimed at encouraging public primary and secondary schools to merge, in order to improve education amid a declining student population. This "Confluence and Elevation – School Excellence Project" will launch in the 2027/28 academic year at the earliest, according to a recent interview on an RTHK radio show.

The project's main goal is to encourage school sponsoring bodies to combine their resources, rather than treating merger as a reactive measure during enrollment crises or when faced with zero classes. Choi emphasized the importance of flexibility and support in the policy, adding that the government must be selective in choosing which schools to merge.

For instance, schools with unique characteristics will require a minimum size, and the educational courses and teaching standards must remain high. Aided schools can merge with Direct Subsidy Scheme schools without any issues, but government schools cannot merge with either of the other two types due to the civil servant status of government school teachers.

Following a merger, schools may retain both campuses during the transition period if one cannot accommodate all pupils, and the bureau will allocate resources to assist with surplus teaching staff.