'More Focus On Pupils In Need Amid Population Drop'

A primary school principal said on Saturday the drop in student population offered educators an opportunity to direct resources to pupils in need, as he urged education authorities to retain the existing level of teachers.

Langton Cheung, the honorary chairman of the Aided Primary School Heads Association, was commenting a day after the Committee on Home-School Co-operation published the latest Primary School Profiles.

The latest statistics showed 63 out of over 530 schools across the SAR - or more than 11 percent - have cut a total of 70 primary one classes in the new academic year.

Nine of the schools were in Tuen Mun, six in Eastern district, and another six in Wong Tai Sin.

Some schools even had to slash two primary one classes at once.

Speaking after a radio programme, Cheung said the declining trend had just begun, adding that he hoped the government could retain the number of teachers.

"Without reducing or increasing resources, is it possible to let students currently staying in Hong Kong receive better care first?" Cheung asked.

"Once a school admits a certain number of students with special education needs or non-Chinese speaking students, authorities may then consider retaining more teachers according to the situation, so as to have a better teacher-student ratio, in terms of taking care of special needs and non-Chinese speaking pupils."