‘Worst is yet to come’: Hong Kong’s early childhood sector hit hard by funding cuts

AdvertisementHong Kong budget 2026-27Hong KongEducation‘Worst is yet to come’: Hong Kong’s early childhood sector hit hard by funding cutsSector facing decade-low subsidies and cancelled grants, with job losses and closures mounting as educators warn of bleak futureReading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPWilliam YiuPublished: 1:51pm, 26 Feb 2026Updated: 2:20pm, 26 Feb 2026Hong Kong’s early childhood education sector will receive its lowest level of subsidy in more than a decade as the number of preschools falls to a 13-year low, with the government cancelling two grants for kindergartens in the new school year.According to the annual budget announced on Wednesday, the early childhood sector will receive only HK$4.5 billion (US$575 million) from the government in the 2026–27 financial year, representing a 6.6 per cent drop from the current year.“This is mainly due to decreased provision for some existing grants to kindergartens in 2026–27, largely as a result of the decrease in the number of students,” authorities said in the latest budget.AdvertisementThe government estimated there would be just 105,800 toddlers enrolled in kindergartens in the next school year, 79,000 of whom would attend subsidised institutions – both record lows.The sector suffered the largest cut in resources among all areas overseen by the Education Bureau. By comparison, the primary and secondary education sectors will see reductions of less than 2 per cent and 1 per cent, respectively, from the previous financial year.AdvertisementThe tertiary and vocational education sectors, meanwhile, will enjoy an increase of 4 per cent.AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x