'Do More To Tackle Education Sector Brain Drain'

The chairman of the Hong Kong Association of the Heads of Secondary Schools, Lin Chun-pong, has urged the government to consider reforming the education system in the wake of falling student and teacher numbers.

A poll of 140 secondary schools by the association found that an average of 32 students quit each school in the 2020-21 school year, compared to 20 students in the previous year.

Many of the pupils indicated they were emigrating, going to study abroad or moving to other local schools.

Meanwhile, each school lost an average of 7.1 teachers in the same period, around double the figure in the previous year.

Speaking on an RTHK programme on Tuesday, Lin said the teachers cited the overall social environment, people's disrespect for the education system, Covid-19 affecting teaching, and changes to the education policy in recent years as the top reasons for resigning.

He said the departure of teachers – many of whom had over a decade of experience – affects the quality of teaching and schools’ operation, adding that it takes time to groom a teacher to take up managerial positions.

"The leaving of teachers, is the loss of talents today. Students leaving Hong Kong to study abroad means the loss of future talents," Lin said, adding that the government should take proactive measures and give schools more resources to reform themselves by, for example, introducing small-class teaching.

Lin also said some people in society have given teachers too much pressure in recent years, with some even proposing the use of "unreasonable" methods to regulate the sector.

He questioned whether installing security cameras in classrooms was a good idea and if it is beneficial to the development of children that they are constantly being monitored.