Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Wallis O Lam said yesterday that with the decreasing number of school students the result of a dropping birth rate, the local government is planning to roll out various new measures in the upcoming 2026/27 academic year aiming to advance Macau’s education reform and encourage local schools to enhance their education quality, including helping schools affected by the falling number of students convert into other types of education institutions, or helping them merge with others.
O made the remarks when replying to oral interpellations by lawmakers during a plenary session in the legislature’s hemicycle.
The new measures aim to turn the reality of a shrinking student population in Macau into new opportunities to drive educational reform and enhance the quality of education in Macau, O said.
O said that the government will provide support for schools affected by a decreasing number of students and wishing to convert into continuing education institutions. After their transformation, she said, they can provide education services such as continuing education for residents in general, vocational training, and senior citizens’ learning.
The government will grant subsidies for these schools to modify their on-campus equipment and facilities, as well as subsidies for their teachers to obtain the required qualifications, with the aim of ensuring that they can eventually be converted into continuing education institutions.
Moreover, she said, the government will provide support for schools with a similar educational philosophy wishing to merge.
The government will also provide subsidies to the respective schools helping them consolidate and share educational spaces and resources among them.
In addition, O said, the government will provide subsidies for schools to launch more extracurricular activities, potential development programmes, and vocational education, which are conducive to students’ physical and mental development.
Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) Director Kong Chi Meng said during yesterday’s plenary session that six schools have separately informed the government about their intention to merge.
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Wallis O Lam addresses yesterday’s plenary session in the legislature’s hemicycle. – Photo courtesy of TDM
