Oriental Daily A1: 12 kindergartens are in trouble due to economic downturn

Recently, Hong Kong's early childhood education industry has faced severe challenges. Many kindergartens have been in trouble. At least 12 kindergartens have even announced that they cannot continue to operate and have to raise the white flag and surrender. All these difficulties are closely related to the significant decrease in Hong Kong's newborn population.

According to data from the Education Bureau, in the past three school years, the number of 3-year-old children suitable for early childhood education has decreased by 15,000. Such figures have deeply worried people in the education sector. They bluntly stated that the main reasons for the difficulties faced by the early childhood education industry are the decrease in the number of students and the shortage of teachers.

Decreasing student sources have intensified the pressure on survival of the early childhood education industry

As the population of new students in Hong Kong decreases, the number of students in kindergartens also decreases accordingly. This puts the early childhood education industry under tremendous pressure for survival. Many kindergartens have difficulty maintaining normal operations due to the decrease in student resources, and have even had to close operations.

Shortage of teachers seriously affects teaching quality

In addition to the decrease in the number of students, the shortage of teacher manpower is another major problem facing the early childhood education industry. Due to a shortage of teachers, kindergartens are unable to provide high-quality teaching services, which directly affects the learning effects of students.

The government should increase support for the early childhood education industry

Faced with the plight of the early childhood education industry, the Education Bureau should increase its support for the early childhood education industry and use various policies and measures to help kindergartens tide over the difficulties and protect the educational rights and interests of students.

• Strengthen subsidy policies for the early childhood education industry and increase operating funds for kindergartens
• Increase the training of teachers and improve their professional level
• Promote parents’ understanding of early childhood education and increase their attention to early childhood education