Education

A few years ago, the birth rate in Hong Kong hit new lows. The education sector took a serious blow - primary schools were forced to close and employment opportunities were all but nonexistent.

The birth rate has luckily risen gradually since. This is good news for the education sector. The demand for primary school teachers is rising and job prospects for Hong Kong Institute of Education graduates are better.

Instead, it is now secondary schools which face student shortages. The demand for teachers may fall and people who want a job in a secondary school may find it difficult.

The government can consider implementing small class teaching and improving the teacher-student ratio to ease the problem of not having enough students.

As for private tutoring, given students' fondness for it, it is expected that the market will continue to boom.

Ip Kin-yuen, chief executive, HK Professional Teachers’ Union
As told to Chiu Po-sze