LCQ9: International and Direct Subsidy Scheme schools in New Territories North
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Question:
There are views pointing out that with the accelerated development of the Northern Metropolis, New Territories North (NTN) will become a key hub for innovation, technology, and residential development in Hong Kong. This is expected to attract a large influx of professionals from the Mainland and overseas, leading to a significant increase in demand for quality education in international, private, or Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) schools. However, there is currently only one international school in NTN, located in Sha Tau Kok, that offers secondary school curriculum, and there are also relatively few DSS schools in the area. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the current numbers of international and DSS schools (including primary and secondary schools) located in NTN and the respective numbers of school places offered; of the respective numbers of applicants for admission to these schools and the actual numbers of students enrolled in each of the past three years;
(2) whether it has assessed the gap between demand and supply for international and DSS schools in NTN based on the data mentioned in (1), and the potential impact of such a gap on attracting Mainland and international talents; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) whether it has plans to introduce more international and DSS schools in NTN; if so, of the estimated number of additional school places; and
(4) whether it will adopt measures (such as allocating vacant school premises, providing land concessions and financial support, or streamlining the application procedures for establishing schools) to encourage existing international or DSS schools to expand into NTN, or to attract renowned overseas international school groups and local quality school sponsoring bodies to establish branch schools in NTN; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Government is committed to meeting the demand for education from non-local families living in Hong Kong. Regarding primary and secondary education, all children aged 6 to 15 who are eligible to enrol in public sector schools, including dependants of persons permitted to stay under various talent admission schemes, can receive free and quality primary and secondary education in public sector schools. Direct Subsidy Scheme schools (DSS schools) and private schools (including international schools) are also members of Hong Kong's diversified education system and provide parents and students with different choices.
Regarding the question asked by the Hon Yiu Ming, our reply is as follows:
The provision of school places in international schools and DSS schools is planned on a territory-wide basis. These schools are free to admit students from all districts across Hong Kong. At present, there are 53 international schools (including one special school) and 78 DSS schools in Hong Kong. In the 2025/26 school year, international schools (excluding a special school) provided about 48 400 school places and admitted around 44 700 students. The number of students represents around 92.4 per cent of the total places provided, leaving some 3 700 surplus places available to meet demand. For DSS schools, they provided about 73 100 school places and admitted around 66 000 students. The number of students represents around 90.3 per cent of the total school places provided, leaving some 7 100 surplus school places available to meet demand.
The Education Bureau (EDB) commissions a consultancy study once every few years on the provision of international school places at primary and secondary levels in Hong Kong. The consultancy study report published in early 2024 forecasted that by the 2028/29 school year, Hong Kong would have some 4 400 surplus school places among international schools. When there is a projected shortfall of international school places, the Government would allocate greenfield sites or vacant school premises (VSPs) at nominal premium or rent for international school use via an open and competitive bidding process, so as to increase the provision of international school places.
The Chief Executive announced in the 2025 Policy Address that the EDB had allocated two VSPs for international school development via the School Allocation Exercise, thereby increasing some 1 000 international school places in the short term. To meet long-term needs, the Government has also reserved sites in the Northern Metropolis for the development of international schools. Moreover, the EDB encourages existing international schools to increase their admission quotas. The EDB will also remove barriers and ease restrictions, allowing quality international schools to build new facilities and enhance existing ones, including student boarding facilities, at their school sites on a self-financing basis. We will release land in an orderly manner according to actual circumstances so as to enable quality international schools to construct campuses and increase school places, thereby supporting the long-term development of the international school sector.
As for other publicly-funded schools (including DSS schools), the EDB will periodically review the supply and demand for school places across districts and plan ahead accordingly. For instance, the EDB will reprovision schools to districts with an estimated greater demand for school places, thereby facilitating students' access to education.
Ends/Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Issued at HKT 11:00
Issued at HKT 11:00
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