Five government-aided secondary schools in Hong Kong have recently received approval to expand their intake for the 2026 Form One central allocation, adding much-needed capacity in sought-after institutions. This decision, emerging from an Education Bureau pilot scheme, allows these schools to increase their Form One capacity to five classes, aiming to meet sustained parental demand despite broader challenges posed by shrinking student demographics.
The approved schools include four English-medium institutions—Queen’s College, Wah Yan College, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Kap Yan Directors’ College, and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Li Ka Shing College—alongside one Chinese-medium school, Christian Alliance S W Chan Memorial College.
Addressing Overwhelming Demand
The expansion primarily targets institutions experiencing significant oversubscription. While the three schools in the Northern District had already been operating with five provisional classes, the approval marks a concrete increase for Queen’s College and Wah Yan College, Hong Kong, both located in Wan Chai, which will now move from four to five classes.
Wah Yan College, Hong Kong, reported intense competition, having received over 460 discretionary place applications last year—nearly ten times its quota. Principal Chan Wai-lun confirmed the institution expects to boost its Form One intake from 144 to roughly 180 students, adding approximately 36 places. To accommodate the larger cohorts, the school is upgrading facilities, including new activity rooms and a research center.
Similarly, Christian Alliance S W Chan Memorial College has seen escalating demand, with discretionary place applications exceeding available quotas for three consecutive years. Principal Vincent Kwong Wing-sun noted that the decision to expand was a direct response to parental pressure and was supported by consultations with neighboring primary school heads.
The Tung Wah Group of Hospitals governing body emphasized that both Kap Yan Directors’ College and Li Ka Shing College remain highly popular, and the expansion will allow them greater resources to enhance whole-person education, diversity curricula, and deliver elevated learning experiences.
Demographic Headwinds and Increased Competition
However, this targeted expansion occurs against a backdrop of declining citywide school-age populations. Government projections estimate the number of 12-year-olds in Hong Kong will fall from approximately 58,800 this year to 51,500 by 2030.
The impact of this demographic shift varies by district. While the Northern District might see a slight increase in its 12-year-old population by 2030, Wan Chai faces a steep decline, projecting a drop from roughly 1,100 this year to just 700 by 2030.
Education sector lawmaker Chu Kwok-keung, who is also vice-president of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, cautioned that selectively allowing these highly popular schools to expand could inadvertently intensify enrolment competition. He warned that this action might disproportionately affect mid- and lower-band schools within the same districts.
Chu urged the Education Bureau to continue monitoring the supply and demand landscape for school places, encouraging prudence in considering any future expansion approvals.
Guidance for Parents
As most of the institutions gaining places are already highly sought after, competition for discretionary spots next year is projected to become even fiercer. For parents navigating this challenging landscape, experts offer crucial advice:
- Prioritize Fit Over Flagship: Instead of exclusively flocking to flagship institutions undergoing expansion, parents should carefully consider schools that best match their child’s academic abilities, interests, and overall needs.
- Understand Allocation Changes: Wah Yan College, for instance, expects to allocate about 20 of its new spots to its feeder institution, Pui Ching Primary School, meaning only a slight increase in intake from non-feeder primaries. Discretionary places will increase slightly from 43 to 54.
While the expansion provides limited relief to thousands of eager applicants, the broader challenge remains balancing parental aspirations with demographic realities, ensuring Hong Kong’s education system remains robust and equitable across all school bands. The Education Bureau’s next steps in reviewing overall student distribution will be critical.