Hong Kong to offer ‘attractive’ merger deals for schools beyond those struggling

South China Morning Post - Sep 16, 2026

Hong Kong education authorities will offer a “very attractive” proposal and policy support to encourage schools without survival issues to merge amid the shrinking student population, according to official sources. The government said it might allow aided schools and semi-private Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) schools to merge and operate across two campuses, though all arrangements remained subject to the forthcoming announcement of further details. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced that...

Read full article
More News
EU chief wants Canada as bloc's first associate member
EU chief wants Canada as bloc's first associate member
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday she wants Canada to join the European Union as an associate member, as the North American nation is embroiled in a...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Federal employees were paid nearly $7B not to work under DOGE effort: GAO
Federal employees were paid nearly $7B not to work under DOGE effort: GAO
The Trump administration paid outgoing employees an estimated nearly $7 billion to not work as it encouraged them to leave the federal service, a government watchdog found in a Tuesday...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong’s new training visa could be available in first quarter of 2027
Hong Kong’s new training visa could be available in first quarter of 2027
A new visa intended to attract international talent to participate in short-term training programmes in Hong Kong could become available as early as the first quarter of next year, the...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong targets film tourism boom and higher-level tennis tournaments
Hong Kong targets film tourism boom and higher-level tennis tournaments
Hong Kong will introduce themed tourism routes showcasing the city’s most recognisable filming locations and explore upgrading Victoria Park’s Centre Court to host higher-level tennis tournaments, as authorities seek to...
Sep 16, 2026See more
First building in Hong Kong’s university town project to be ready in months
First building in Hong Kong’s university town project to be ready in months
The first building in the 1,000-hectare (2,472-acre) university town project in the Northern Metropolis will be completed by the end of this year, Hong Kong’s leader has said, revealing that...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong to woo finance and tech firms with new tax breaks
Hong Kong to woo finance and tech firms with new tax breaks
Hong Kong will introduce various tax incentives for new finance and technology industries to attract businesses and reinforce the city’s role as a leading financial hub, the city leader has...
Sep 16, 2026See more
10 AI, biotech firms in Northern Metropolis to get early cross-border data access
10 AI, biotech firms in Northern Metropolis to get early cross-border data access
About 10 artificial intelligence (AI) and biotech companies will be the first to access cross-border data flows under a new pilot scheme, securing an early edge over roughly 100 other...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong leader pledges building maintenance reforms after fatal Tai Po fire
Hong Kong leader pledges building maintenance reforms after fatal Tai Po fire
Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to overhaul the city’s building maintenance regime and improve emergency response as part of the government’s response to last year’s fatal Tai Po fire, while...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong to set up ‘AI city brain’ to boost disaster response and public safety
Hong Kong to set up ‘AI city brain’ to boost disaster response and public safety
Hong Kong will create an “AI city brain” system to strengthen its response to extreme weather events, major incidents and public order management, while creating the role of artificial intelligence...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong’s HK$30,000 bonus for second child among 11 new measures to boost births
Hong Kong’s HK$30,000 bonus for second child among 11 new measures to boost births
Hong Kong authorities have rolled out 11 new initiatives to encourage residents to have children, including an expanded cash bonus scheme and a reduced down payment for subsidised housing for...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong launching pilot scheme to bring in foreign carers for the elderly
Hong Kong launching pilot scheme to bring in foreign carers for the elderly
Hong Kong will introduce a pilot scheme next year to bring in foreign domestic carers to look after older residents as part of a broader package of measures announced in...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong aims to raise zero-carbon energy share of fuel mix to 30% by 2030
Hong Kong aims to raise zero-carbon energy share of fuel mix to 30% by 2030
Hong Kong has pledged to boost the share of zero-carbon energy in its electricity generation fuel mix to 30 per cent by 2030, up from the current 28 per cent...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong Jockey Club to plough HK$3b into new research facility in Northern Metropolis
Hong Kong Jockey Club to plough HK$3b into new research facility in Northern Metropolis
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has said it will funnel HK$3 billion to support the construction of a Life and Health Academic Research Building at the city’s new Northern Metropolis...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong to invest in primary care to cut premature death risk to 6.9%
Hong Kong to invest in primary care to cut premature death risk to 6.9%
Hong Kong aims to reduce the risk of premature deaths from some major chronic diseases to 6.9 per cent by 2030 by investing heavily in primary healthcare and prevention, authorities...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Why is it so hard to get a restraining order? Only 1 in 5 granted in L.A. County
Why is it so hard to get a restraining order? Only 1 in 5 granted in L.A. County
The restraining order system is "riddled with barriers and drop-out points," and can be very difficult to navigate, according to victims of domestic violence and advocates interviewed by The Times,...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Warsh under pressure as Fed considers rate hike
Warsh under pressure as Fed considers rate hike
Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh finds himself in a tricky position as the central bank commences its September meeting, as rising expectations of an interest rate hike clash with President...
Sep 16, 2026See more
14 key takeaways from John Lee’s policy address, Hong Kong’s first 5-year plan
14 key takeaways from John Lee’s policy address, Hong Kong’s first 5-year plan
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has placed deepening integration with mainland China and developing new economic engines centre stage as he unveiled the city’s first-ever five-year plan alongside...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong’s first five-year plan seeks to boost innovation
Hong Kong’s first five-year plan seeks to boost innovation
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu presented the city’s first ever five-year plan, including steps to bolster innovation, birth rates and financial activity. The city aims to raise spending on...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong must prepare for the impact of heat-related work stoppages
Hong Kong must prepare for the impact of heat-related work stoppages
At the beginning of August, when temperatures in Hong Kong hit highs not seen for at least 140 years, the Labour Department’s Heat Stress at Work Warning system remained at...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong court winds up Wang Fuk Court renovation consultant over debt
Hong Kong court winds up Wang Fuk Court renovation consultant over debt
A Hong Kong court has ordered the winding-up of an engineering consultant behind a HK$336 million (US$42.8 million) renovation project at the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court over an unspecified debt. The...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong court terminates trial after suspect in deadly 1991 hold-up dies of cancer
Hong Kong court terminates trial after suspect in deadly 1991 hold-up dies of cancer
A Hong Kong court has terminated a trial arising from a deadly shooting during a botched robbery three decades ago after the defendant died in custody earlier this week. The High...
Sep 16, 2026See more
'We've lost contact': NBC4 covers its own helicopter tragedy with grief, purpose
'We've lost contact': NBC4 covers its own helicopter tragedy with grief, purpose
NBC4 news reported on its own news chopper that crashed and burst into flames, killing three.
Sep 16, 2026See more
Helicopter crashes and bursts into flames, killing at least 3 people near an LA bus collision
Helicopter crashes and bursts into flames, killing at least 3 people near an LA bus collision
The helicopter crashed around 7 p.m. near a one-story commercial building in the neighborhood of Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley.
Sep 16, 2026See more
Policy address 2026: John Lee says accountability needed if 5-year plan targets missed – as it happened
Policy address 2026: John Lee says accountability needed if 5-year plan targets missed – as it happened
This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account. Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled the city’s first five-year plan at the...
Sep 16, 2026See more
At least 5 dead in helicopter crash and bus accident in Chatsworth. Driver arrested
At least 5 dead in helicopter crash and bus accident in Chatsworth. Driver arrested
A helicopter crashed into flames Tuesday night in Chatsworth, not far from a serious accident involving a Metro bus that left three people dead.
Sep 16, 2026See more
Hong Kong policy address to unveil bold youth housing and mediation initiatives
Hong Kong policy address to unveil bold youth housing and mediation initiatives
Hong Kong’s leader will unveil two bold initiatives on housing and mediation in his policy address, the South China Morning Post has learned, with the government planning to boost home...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Southeast Asian buyers emerge as top non-local investors in Hong Kong commercial property
Southeast Asian buyers emerge as top non-local investors in Hong Kong commercial property
Southeast Asian investors have emerged as the largest non-local buyers of Hong Kong commercial property, led by Singapore-based capital, according to Savills. As of Tuesday, local and non-local investors – including...
Sep 16, 2026See more
Top Chinese official leads 87-member committee for Tung Chee-hwa state funeral
Top Chinese official leads 87-member committee for Tung Chee-hwa state funeral
The first vice-chairman of the nation’s top political advisory body is overseeing an 87-member committee of political and business heavyweights to arrange the state funeral for Hong Kong’s first chief...
Sep 15, 2026See more
Recommended