Secondary school students dropped out of school due to leaving Hong Kong increased by 50% compared to last year

A survey by the Hong Kong Association of Heads of Secondary Schools found that 1,474 students dropped out of the secondary schools surveyed between July and November 2020, an increase of 23% over the 1,195 students who dropped out during the same period in 2019. Among them, the number of students who withdrew due to immigration and further study abroad increased significantly by 50% compared to 2019.

The survey was conducted between November 7 and December 10 last year, and the Hong Kong Association of Heads of Secondary Schools sent questionnaires to all secondary school principals in Hong Kong, on an anonymous basis, to understand the situation of students dropping out and teachers leaving secondary schools, and 98 valid samples were returned. Among them, 62.2% were subsidized secondary schools, 8.2%, 7.2%, and 1% were directly subsidized secondary schools, subsidized secondary schools, and government secondary schools, respectively, while 21.4% did not provide information.

The survey found that 1,474 students dropped out of the surveyed secondary schools from July to November 2020, an increase of 23% compared to 1,195 students in the same period in 2019. The survey further analyzed the reasons for students’ withdrawal, among which 723 students withdrew because they left Hong Kong, including emigration and overseas study, a significant increase of 50% compared to 475 students in the same period of 2019.

The survey also counted the departure of teachers other than retirement. From July to November 2020, 235 teachers left the surveyed secondary schools, an increase of 15% compared to 205 in the same period in 2019. More than 80% of secondary school principals expect the number of student dropouts to continue to rise in the future, and more than 70% of secondary school principals estimate that the number of teacher departures will continue to increase.

In its report, the Association of Secondary School Heads urged the Education Bureau to reduce interference in the internal affairs of schools and give them a due and sufficient degree of autonomy, and also suggested that plans be made to cope with the declining trend of student population.