Society

“I can’t bear to leave… It feels empty, as if losing friends,” said Ally Chen, 11, a primary five student at Fresh Fish Traders’ School in Tai Kok Tsui, which was nearly closed due to low enrolment. On March 17, the Hong Kong Education Bureau announced that a record 15 public and subsidised primary schools across 10 districts, including Fresh Fish Traders’ School, would have no primary one classes for the next academic year because they failed to enrol the minimum of 16 students. The potential school closures leave schools, teachers and students worried about heavier workloads and the loss of familiar school communities as they navigate an uncertain future. Fresh Fish Traders’ School previously faced enrolment shortages in 2004 and 2007, but managed to turn things around. This time, however, rather than closing its doors, the school announced in March that it plans to merge with another school in the district, although the partner's name has not yet been disclosed. Hong Kong’s student population has been shrinking rapidly. Primary school enrolment fell from 373,228 students in the 2019/20 school year to 319,447 in the 2024/25 school year, a decrease of 14.4%, according to the Bureau. Education Secretary Christine Choi Yuk-lin said in a media briefing in March that the number of students participating in the primary one allocation for 2026/27 had fallen by around 4,000 compared with the previous year. Experts point to Hong Kong’s falling birth rate. According to the Census and Statistics Department, the number of births in 2025 dropped to a record low of 31,714, a 14% decrease from the previous year. “Emigration of young families has certainly contributed to the decline in school enrolment, but its impact is secondary compared to the persistently low local birth rate,” said Anita Koo Ching-wah, a professor at the …

Marcus Kan, 29, sits restlessly in his car on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, stuck in heavy traffic as he waits to cross into Zhuhai. Once there, he hopes to fill up at lower fuel prices than Hong Kong, where he lives.  “I go to the mainland for fuel once a week. Since the outbreak of the Iran war, the petrol price difference between the mainland and Hong Kong has widened steadily. Even factoring in the fuel cost of commuting back and forth, it’s still more economical to refuel in the mainland,” Kan said. Petrol prices in Hong Kong have risen steadily since the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps closed the Strait of Hormuz following US-Israel airstrikes on Feb 28. Prices have surged by 11.3% over the past two months, climbing from HK$29.24 in early March to a record high of HK$32.54 per litre as of May 1. “It’s a popular trend among my social circles. It only takes 50 minutes for a single trip from Hong Kong to Zhuhai, so I quite enjoy the trip,” he added. Kan said nearly all his friends who own vehicles have tried refuelling in mainland China at least once. “The control points are sometimes congested nowadays, which likely means more cars are crossing the border,” said Kan. Global crude oil prices have surged over 53% since the war began, topping US$120.55 per barrel. Fluctuations in crude oil prices directly impact its derivatives, such as petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas. To ease the pressure of rising fuel prices, the Hong Kong government made a 50% tunnel toll reduction for commercial vehicles following a special meeting in April, though it still has not announced any price controls or subsidies for private car owners. “The closure of the Strait of Hormuz transportation route will affect 20% to …