Local schools face strains from low birth rates, teacher shortages and talent gaps

Lawmakers in the Legislative Assembly on Friday pressed the government for answers on how it plans to protect local schools from the impact of a record-low birth rate, which is increasingly being felt in classrooms across the city.

Addressing the session, director of the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) Kong Chi Ming said the bureau is acting on findings from a mid-year government strategy study and has already rolled out preliminary measures to maintain education standards in Macau. He described the declining birth rate as part of a global trend, “echoed globally in developed regions.”

During the session, lawmakers Kou Kam Fai and Loi I Weng raised concerns about mounting teacher allocation problems, while Kevin Ho asked whether mainland students not pursuing higher education could be allowed to study in Macau.

Responding, Kong emphasized that any move to admit such students would require broad social consensus.

Authorities “are still studying the option” and are keeping an “open attitude” toward its feasibility. He explained, “We have heard voices in society asking whether Chinese mainland students could be introduced. We are studying this and maintain an open attitude, but there are several points that require social consensus. First, these primary school or even kindergarten students are different from university students. They must have guardians or caretakers. What kind of residency status would those caretakers hold in Macau? What can they do or not do while staying here?”

Kong also raised a second concern: the academic pathway these students would follow after completing schooling in Macau. Under current rules, mainland non-higher education students cannot enroll in mainland universities as gaokao candidates or apply through the joint admission examination system, a limitation that must be addressed before any policy changes.

On the broader issue of a shrinking school-age population, Kong cited the government study, which included site visits and benchmarking with neighboring regions. He recalled preliminary measures, such as financial aid, class size adjustments, and recruiting students from other areas, to support local education standards.

Regarding teacher shortages, Kong said the bureau is taking proactive steps through cross-educational training to build a more flexible talent pool. He added that to “better balance teaching quality and the efficient use of resources,” Macau’s kindergarten class sizes are currently capped at 25 students.

Record-low birth figures

According to the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), only 671 live births were registered in the second quarter of 2025, the lowest level since records began in 1998, with high child-rearing costs and career pressures on women cited as key factors.

The latest DSEC figures show 709 live births in the third quarter, a 5.7% increase from the previous quarter, but still 22.1% lower than the same period in 2024.

Social Affairs and Culture Secretary O Lam said during the Legislative Assembly session Friday that, regarding the construction of a “Happy Macau,” efforts will “focus on residents’ needs, especially in light of low birth rates and an aging population.”

“Through long-term planning and robust short- and medium-term measures, work related to the elderly and children will be pursued more concretely and comprehensively, establishing a welfare system covering all stages of life and aspects of residents’ daily lives, ensuring medical services fully meet the population’s needs,” she said.

Phase three of talent program targets global expertise

DSEDJ director recalled Macau’s talent introduction program, designed to attract skilled professionals to support economic diversification. “The program continues to be optimized to drive and support Macau’s long-term development,” he said.

Under the initiative, over 800 positions in officially recognized “professions in short supply” have already been filled, with a third phase set to launch soon.

The Advanced Professionals Program targets graduates in “1+4” industry-related disciplines from top global universities, as well as high-performing graduates from Macau institutions.

Planned enhancements include extra points for applicants with overseas work experience – especially in Portugal and Brazil – and those with backgrounds in traditional Chinese medicine. To strengthen implementation, Kong said two new working groups would be created: one to collaborate with economic bodies to set up “green channels” linking investment and talent recruitment, and another to formalize partnerships with a research association and two chambers of commerce to leverage their business networks.