“Also critically in our case, we face the impending retirement of [the] supervisor, headmistress and a large number of senior teachers. Regrettably, because of these factors, we are unable to continue to offer the quality of education parents have come to expect [in the] long-term from Kentville.”
Group taking over Hong Kong school Rosaryhill to pay sponsoring body for land use
Group taking over Hong Kong school Rosaryhill to pay sponsoring body for land use
Thirty per cent of its 74 staff members had reached or were approaching retirement age, according to the kindergarten, which is located in Kowloon Tong.
It said it typically had 500 children in K1 classes, but the number had dropped to only 300 in the 2023-24 academic year, representing a 40 per cent decline in enrollment.
It added it “must” shut down operations by the end of the 2025-26 academic year. Under the three-year closure plan, the school will stop admitting K1 pupils for the next academic year.
Wong said the school would “operate as normal” by offering K2 and K3 classes in the next academic year on the condition that a minimum of 400 students were enrolled in total.
She said she believed the school could continue to offer these classes in the 2025-26 academic year as it was expecting a minimum of 200 K3 students.
The kindergarten said it had informed the Education Bureau about its decision.
The private institution, founded in 1966, says it has more than 30,000 graduates and it charges HK$46,000 (US$5,881) per pupil annually to enroll for its half-day sessions.
As of September 2021, it had more than 1,500 students, according to official figures.
The city has been hit by a double whammy of low birth rates and an emigration wave. Several countries such as Canada, Australia and Britain have offered pathways for Hongkongers to secure permanent residency following Beijing’s imposition of the national security law in 2020.
What can Hong Kong do to reverse its low birth rate? We look at various proposals
What can Hong Kong do to reverse its low birth rate? We look at various proposals
The city is struggling with one of the lowest birth rates in the world, with the figure declining each year since 2017. About 53,700 births were recorded in 2018, 43,000 in 2020, and just 32,500 last year, making it difficult for schools to plan with any certainty of their future operations.
Mother of two Charmaine Chan, whose three-year-old son is now in K1, said most parents were very shocked and sorry to hear of the news.
She said a poll in a WhatsApp group with more than 340 parents indicated that about 90 would keep their children at the school until it closed, with no intention of withdrawing.
She added the institution was popular and renowned for its training of children’s self-care abilities and its organized administration, which made parents feel the school could be trusted.
“I originally planned to let my daughter study at this school, but now my elder son will be in its last batch of students,” Chan said.
She also noticed some senior educators at the kindergarten were aging, but her son’s teachers were young.
Choi Lai-fong, vice-chairwoman of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, said more private preschools would close because of the emigration wave and low birth rate, and this situation was already expected last year.
“Young families are the main group of parents signing up for private kindergartens, but they now tend to emigrate and most of the young couples tend not to have kids,” Choi said.
Hong Kong schools lose over 80 Primary One classes with fears more face axe
Hong Kong schools lose over 80 Primary One classes with fears more face axe
She expected at least 20 kindergartens would start closing in the two coming years due to low birth rates and the emigration wave.
She called on the owners of all school premises citywide to reduce rents to ease the financial burden on institutions.
Meanwhile, education authorities have revoked the eligibility of the Wise Le Sage Anglo-Chinese Kindergarten in Shau Kei Wan for public funding, saying it had failed to meet the government’s operational and financial management requirements.
The supervisor of the preschool is Cheung Lai-wah, who was arrested over a forgery case after she allegedly “softened the wording” of a government letter to parents about authorities’ decision to revoke public funding for one of her other preschools in Sheung Shui.
She also is the supervisor of another private preschool in Sheung Shui.
A spokesperson for the Education Bureau said it had already notified the parents of the preschool in Shau Kei Wan of the latest developments and would offer help finding spots in other kindergartens in the district.
She said students who were admitted before August 9 could still enjoy government subsidies until they graduated.