Students queue up to enter classrooms at Fung Kai No. 1 School in Sheung Shui on Sept 4, 2023, as students in Hong Kong are ready for the start of the new academic year. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

A survey conducted in the education sector shows that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government’s efforts to attract more talent have led to a surge in demand for education, which could ease the shortage of students in the city’s schools and avoid the closure or merging of schools.

The survey, released on Thursday by the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers and Hong Kong Top Talent Services Association, showed that 75.8 percent of the 326 incoming professionals said they would opt to let their children come to Hong Kong to attend primary and secondary schools.

As of the end of July 2023, the SAR government recorded an astonishing surge in applications for various talent programs, exceeding 120,000 cases. Over 75,000 applications have been approved so far, with 38,000 applicants arriving in the city

As of the end of July 2023, the SAR government recorded an astonishing surge in applications for various talent programs, exceeding 120,000 cases. Over 75,000 applications have been approved so far, with 38,000 applicants arriving in the city.

Among them, 30,000 out of 40,000 applications for the Top Talent Pass Scheme, a program established in December to attract leading professionals, have been approved.

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The government plans to attract 35,000 talents annually, with the goal of drawing in 105,000 people in three years.

The survey found that nearly 40 percent of applicants plan for their children to attend aided schools with free tuition, with an additional 27.5 percent opting for institutions under the Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS), in which parents have to pay a certain amount for tuition.

Lawmaker Jesse Shang Hailong, founder of the Hong Kong Top Talent Services Association, said that 21.1 percent of respondents said they would choose to educate their children at international or private schools, signaling a diverse range of educational preferences among non-local talents.

Tang Fei, lawmaker and vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, has urged the Education Bureau to temporarily postpone plans for merging or reprovisioning primary and secondary schools, saying that the surge in demand brought by the influx of talents could mitigate the fall in student numbers at some schools.

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Tang called on the government to make accurate estimates about the student population, given the number of incoming talents who might bring their children to the city.

Gao Wei, who arrived in Hong Kong through the Top Talent Pass Scheme, had originally planned to emigrate to Australia with his family.

However, with the introduction of the program by the SAR government, they changed their plans and applied to the program. Their application was approved three days later, and currently, both of Gao’s sons are studying in Hong Kong.

Similarly, a couple with the man surnamed Fang, recently obtained permanent residency in Greece. However, with the launch of the Top Talent Pass Scheme, they were drawn to Hong Kong due to its education system, and culture, and decided to relocate here.

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Fang said their two daughters, one in primary school and the other in kindergarten, are both enrolled in local aided schools. They believe that their daughters will quickly adapt to local life.

Another couple with the man surnamed Su, who also chose an aided school for their daughter in Secondary 3, said that their priority in school selection was an English-speaking environment.