Ella Lei demands plan for schools as births plummet

With shrinking kindergarten class sizes likely to spill over into primary schools, lawmaker Ella Lei has questioned the government’s study of school‑age demographic trends and asked about planned response strategies for local education.

In a written inquiry submitted to the Legislative Assembly (AL), Lei warned that Macau’s birth rate has declined for ten years, citing data that shows 2,871 newborns registered last year, a figure that represents a 20.3% decrease from 2024.

According to the lawmaker, the decline has already led to the loss of 26 kindergarten classes and 63 early-childhood teachers this school year. She said that the education sector is “concerned,” citing educators who say “changing [career] paths is not easy,” even though officials have promised to help expand career and development options for schools and teaching staff.

She proposed several measures, including increasing the teachertochild ratio in early childhood education from 1:1.9 to at least 1:2; implementing funding policies such as assigning two teachers per childcare worker; enhancing education at all levels, especially preschool, to improve teaching quality; optimizing resource allocation for smallclass systems to better meet children’s needs; and reinforcing each school’s unique character based on its traditions and a comprehensive development approach.

The inquiry also cited educators who said they were unsure how to implement recent proposals to improve the “School Development Plan” subsidy application. This plan was originally meant to subsidize after-school programs, support eligible schools’ transition to continuing education institutions, fund facility renovations, or provide training in new fields. She expressed concern about how non-higher education institutions should pursue transformation to stay competitive.