Public Secondary Schools Cut a Total of 4 Form 1 Classes This Academic Year; No School Faces Closure Crisis; Primary One Class Numbers Unchanged

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With the school-age population continuing to decline, the Education Bureau has confirmed the approved class numbers for all schools in Hong Kong this academic year. In the end, public secondary schools cut a total of 4 Form 1 classes, but this did not reach the "school closure crisis" threshold for applying for a development plan. The number of Primary One classes in public primary schools remained unchanged. The authorities have launched a pilot scheme for the second consecutive year, allowing eligible secondary schools to apply to change their Form 1 class number from "4 classes to 5 classes." The authorities stressed that they will consider factors such as overall place supply and demand and the actual situation of the school's district when reviewing whether to approve applications.

📋 After Headcount, Public Secondary Schools Cut 4 Form 1 Classes; No Secondary School Required to Apply for Development Plan
The Education Bureau sent staff to some schools to conduct on-site headcounts of students in mid-this month, and verified student information submitted by schools through the electronic system, confirming the approved class numbers for all public schools this academic year. Yesterday, it sent letters to schools required to adjust their 2026/27 class structure, revising the approved class numbers and teaching staff establishment. Compared with the total number of classes approved in the "class opening letters," the authorities said that after the headcount, public secondary schools cut a total of 4 Form 1 classes, but no secondary school this academic year had approved Form 1, Form 2 and Form 4 class numbers below two classes, so no school needed to apply for a development plan. For secondary schools approved to open 3 Form 1 classes after the "headcount," if they receive Discretionary Places applications each year for 3 consecutive years amounting to no less than 80% of their Form 1 allocation places, they may apply to continue participating in the next year's Secondary School Places Allocation System with 4 classes.

🏫 Pilot Scheme Allows Secondary Schools to Apply for "4 Classes to 5 Classes," Cap of 5 Schools
The authorities continue to launch the pilot scheme for eligible secondary schools to apply to change their Form 1 class number from "4 classes to 5 classes," with a cap of 5 schools this academic year. The Education Bureau said that after receiving school applications, it will comprehensively review factors such as the overall place supply and demand in Hong Kong, the actual situation of the school's district, the school's supporting facilities, the school's track record and parents' preferences, and consider whether to approve the application. It stressed that whether an application was submitted in the past is not a consideration for approval. Applications will close in mid-next month this year, and the authorities are unable to provide the number of applications at this stage.

📚 No Change in Class Numbers After Primary School "Headcount"; 8 Schools Apply to Merge
As for primary schools, the authorities said there was no increase or decrease in Primary One class numbers after the "headcount." The authorities reiterated that the primary school "class opening threshold" must reach 16 students. The number of public primary schools that earlier "received zero classes" remains unchanged, and the development plans applied for by the schools concerned have been approved one after another. Eight schools have applied to merge, and the authorities will continue to support the schools concerned with the "Task Force on Supporting the Sustainable Development of Public Schools" to smooth the merger arrangements.