The Committee on Home-School Co-operation (CHSC) announced the publication of the Secondary School Profiles 2025/2026 on December 5, revealing a significant net reduction in Form One classes across Hong Kong’s government and aided secondary education sectors for the upcoming academic year. This annual resource, designed to assist Primary Six parents in making informed secondary school choices, highlights shifting demographics and adjustments to class structures across the territory, with printed copies slated for distribution through primary schools.
The latest overview indicates that Hong Kong’s 385 subsidized secondary schools will implement a net reduction of 16 Form One classes for the 2025/26 intake. Factoring out schools undergoing cyclical adjustments under the Voluntary Optimisation of Class Structure Scheme, the effective demographic contraction results in a definitive loss of 10 Form One classes. The impact of these reductions is geographically concentrated in several districts, including Wong Tai Sin, Kwun Tong, Sai Kung, Tuen Mun, and the North District.
Class Rebalancing and Notable Reductions
Several institutions are participating in the cyclical balancing scheme, which aims to optimize resource allocation based on fluctuating student populations. Six schools are transitioning from five to four Form One classes, including prominent names like Munsang College (Hong Kong Island), Salesian English School (Eastern District), St. Mark’s School, and E.L.C.H.K. Lutheran Secondary School (Yau Tsim Mong). Conversely, Cheung Chuk Shan College in the Eastern District will increase its intake from four to five classes under the same optimization effort.
Further localized reductions are underway in the North District and certain outlying islands. Schools previously granted temporary expansion to five Form One classes due to exceptional circumstances are reverting to their original, smaller structures.
The data underscores growing enrollment pressures, particularly in multiple districts. Four schools across Kwun Tong, Tuen Mun, and Sai Kung are implementing cuts from three to just two Form One classes. This is a critical threshold, as current policy mandates that any secondary school maintaining just two Form One classes for two consecutive years forfeits its eligibility to be categorized as a three-class school in subsequent allocation exercises.
A particularly stark example of demographic challenges is Cheung Chau Government Secondary School, which had been previously flagged for potential closure. The school is slated to open with only a single Form One class for the 2025/2026 academic year.
Informing Parental Decisions
The publication of the Secondary School Profiles serves as a crucial resource, offering comprehensive, verified data sourced directly from over 400 local secondary schools. Each profile reflects the school’s position as of September 2025, detailing essential information for parents.
Key Information Included in the Profiles:
- School mission and vision
- Facilities and resources
- Detailed teacher data (qualifications, experience)
- Current class structures and subjects offered
- Student support services
- Learning and teaching plans
In his message introductory message, the CHSC chairman emphasized the resource’s role in promoting transparency, urging parents to utilize the data presented to match their children’s needs with appropriate learning environments. Schools retain the ability to update their digital entries throughout the academic cycle, ensuring parents have access to the most current information available as they navigate the critical secondary school selection process. This year’s class reductions signal ongoing demographic shifts that will continue to shape Hong Kong’s education landscape.