LettersNorthern Metropolis planning must include kindergartens and schools
Readers discuss how to make the Northern Metropolis attractive to talent, and a research project to identify the benefits of culture
However, this diagnosis misses the larger crisis: the gradual erosion of the city’s teaching profession. As enrolment falls and schools shrink, teachers lose career prospects. Experienced educators leave, institutional knowledge disappears and collaborative school cultures that took decades to build are permanently lost.
Some have suggested importing more non-local students to fill empty classrooms and provide stability. While this appears sensible on paper, it offers only a partial, uncertain solution. Hong Kong cannot independently determine the flow of cross-border students, as it depends heavily on immigration policies and regional cooperation.
Furthermore, substantially increasing the proportion of non-local students risks fuelling concerns among local families over competition for educational resources. A policy meant to stabilise schools should not come at the cost of public confidence.
Instead of looking outwards, Hong Kong should look north. The Northern Metropolis is more than an infrastructure project; it represents the largest demographic shift the city will experience in decades.