Declining school-age population puts seven schools at risk of closure

Authorities announced a series of financial and policy measures yesterday to support schools facing mergers or restructuring as the territory grapples with low birth rates and a declining school-age population.

As disclosed, five to six schools are reportedly seeking to merge, and an additional two to three plan to convert into continuing-education institutions.

At the Legislative Assembly, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, O Lam, stated that Macau’s average early-childhood teacher-to-student ratio has improved from 1:1.6 in 2011-12 to 1:2.3 in 2025-26. She outlined government measures to encourage childbirth and strengthen the child-rearing environment, and mentioned that starting from the 2026/27 school year, the government will provide subsidies to support school mergers and cross-school cooperation to optimize space and resources, upgrade facilities, and ensure continuity in teaching and research.

“The government has introduced four enhanced measures for the 2026–27 school year, building on existing support programs to better address challenges arising from changes in the school‑age population,” O Lam said.

Alongside assistance for schools undergoing transformation and for those seeking mergers or cross‑school collaboration, the measures will extend the two‑year transitional early‑childhood education subsidy to eligible kindergarten classes, optimize weekly maximum working hours for school‑based teaching staff, and establish a platform for teacher and resource sharing to promote teacher development and mobility across educational stages.

The Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) has entered “one‑school‑one‑plan” discussions with more than 10 smaller schools, director Kong Chi Meng said, following the Secretary’s address.

“Currently, five to six schools have expressed a willingness to merge. In addition, two to three schools have agreed to transition under the initiative,” he said.

Kong added that the measures aim to “optimize school facilities, expand space for student activities, and promote the sharing of best management practices.”

On school transformation, he said the government is amending legislation governing continuing‑education centers to enable non-higher-education institutions to convert into continuing‑education providers, and that authorities will provide corresponding support to facilitate the transition.

The authorities said the measures form part of a broader plan to turn demographic challenges into an opportunity to raise educational quality and drive systemic reform. The government has commissioned specialized research and is continuously monitoring data from non‑higher education institutions.

The government survey cited during the session covered nearly 100 principals and senior administrators from kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, more than 500 teaching staff, and 2,751 parents.

Two‑thirds of surveyed teachers expressed willingness to take part in a pilot program, and parents generally showed strong support for the government’s response measures and confidence in its ability to manage education. Authorities said further details on pilot schemes and implementation timetables will be announced as research and evaluations progress.

Gov’t studies feasibility of importing students

Meanwhile, several lawmakers expressed concerns about the future of Macau’s education sector as the city faces a sharp drop in student enrollment, highlighting the practical challenges of school mergers, especially when institutions with different religious backgrounds are involved.

Lawmaker Kou Kam Fai reflected on historical trends, noting that following the implementation of 15 years of free education in 2007, night schools gradually disappeared or were transformed into regular schools.

“History is a process of constant change. We should now make the most of these two years to assist educators and schools in transitioning or merging,” he said.

Kou called for an in-depth study to ensure that Macau residents are guaranteed school enrollment, suggesting that students from other regions could be considered only as a supplementary source to stabilize enrollment, with priority given to local students at all times.

His view was echoed by lawmaker Wong Ka Lon, who agreed that while educational quality must be improved, current school capacities were originally built to accommodate the peak era of over 7,000 newborns annually. The figure is now falling to just over 2,000.

Wong pointed out that the issue of how schools should adapt has become more urgent. “We cannot afford to ignore the existence of these schools,” he said, while advocating for prioritizing Macau students’ access to quality education before opening enrollment to outside regions.

Meanwhile, other lawmakers pointed out increasing disparities in school competitiveness. Some argued that certain institutions have not improved despite having ample resources and questioned the rationale of continuing to invest in schools with declining or no student enrollment amid a dropping birthrate.

In response, authorities reiterated their willingness to review the issue, with the DSEDJ director stating that the bureau is “currently studying the issue.” However, he emphasized that any policy changes would need broad social support and that ensuring enrollment priority for all local students remains a core principle.

Education-industry integration research findings due for release this year

The local government relaunched the survey last year on future talent demand in the city’s key development industries, with Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, O Lam, announcing yesterday that the survey report will be published later this year.

The survey covers industries in integrated tourism and leisure, healthcare, modern finance, hightech, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions), and cultural and sports sectors, as well as professionals from medical, educational, and legal institutions.

The information provided notes that it aims to gather industry data on future talent levels, structure, and job requirements, which will be analyzed alongside academic major data from the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) to produce a comprehensive analysis and actionable policy recommendations.

In response to joint inquiries from lawmakers on the matter, during yesterday’s Legislative Assembly plenary session, O Lam noted that the DSEDJ launched a blueprint on student career planning last year, open to all local schools.

Interdepartmental cooperation has been institutionalized to regularly host activities aligned with Macau’s “1+4” key industries.

According to the Secretary, for the 2026-27 academic year, the Education Fund will include dedicated “career planning guidance” funding under the School Development Grant Scheme to support schools in organizing related extracurricular activities. The bureau will also strengthen the role of its Vocational and Technical Education Activity Center, adopting a “going out and inviting in” model to integrate school needs with enterprise resources and develop various vocational and skills‑based experiential programs for students.

In a comprehensive response to questions from 17 legislators, the Secretary said the government is promoting flexible academic systems and modular curricula to shorten the talent development cycle.

In collaboration with public and private higher education institutions, professional programs will be broken down into skill modules tailored to actual enterprise needs. This includes, for instance, targeted training to address shortages, such as for biological waste collection technicians.

She also stressed the government support for diversified talent development pathways, including on‑the‑job training and phased academic completion, with talent supply calibrated to different levels without rigid full‑degree requirements. High‑end leading talent will be sourced through dedicated talent recruitment mechanisms.

Authorities will deepen industry‑education integration, focusing on “moving classrooms into enterprises” and expanding order‑based training. Cooperation with industry associations and small- and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) will be actively explored.

Proposals from lawmakers, including joint industry colleges and practical training bases, are also under advancement. A regularly updated talent shortage list will be established as a long‑term mechanism to reduce information mismatches. YL