Hong Kong budget 2026-27: minister defends cuts to kindergarten subsidy

Hong Kong authorities have defended a controversial subsidy cut for the kindergarten sector for the coming financial year, saying the low birth rate and resultant shrinking pupil population have prompted a reassessment of education policy priorities.Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin said on Friday that the government would channel more resources towards promoting “high-quality education” and adopt a more targeted approach to helping pupils in need.According to the 2026-27 budget, which was unveiled on Wednesday, the early childhood sector will receive HK$4.5 billion (US$575 million) from the government, a drop of 6.6 per cent from the current financial year ending on March 31.The government will also scrap two grants that fund kindergarten activities and the hiring of supply teachers. The policies cost authorities HK$15.9 million and HK$24.9 million, respectively, in the last school year.In a media briefing to explain the measures, Choi said: “Hong Kong’s population structure is undergoing changes, with a decline in birth rate and a fall in the school-aged population.”The government has estimated that there will be just 105,800 toddlers enrolled in kindergartens in the next school year, 79,000 of whom will attend subsidised institutions, both of which are record lows.