Four of 15 public primary schools in Hong Kong with insufficient enrolment will cease operations, eight will merge with other institutions and two others will operate self-financing Primary One classes this September, according to education authorities.

Representatives from a schools council and a principals’ association said on Wednesday that they expected more institutions that fell short of enrolment quotas to seek mergers to avoid “last minute” problems, adding that schools could create “synergy” by planning ahead.

The Education Bureau on Tuesday evening announced its approval in principle of survival plans submitted by 12 primary schools that were earlier told that they would not be allowed to operate subsidised Primary One classes in the coming school year due to insufficient enrolment.

“The schools … will further report to the Education Bureau on the specific details of their plans, including the overall planning, implementation details and detailed timetable, as well as other work progress,” the bureau said.

In March, the bureau announced that 15 public primary schools with insufficient enrolment would be barred from operating subsidised Primary One classes in the coming academic year – the highest number in recent years.

The schools were told to submit survival plans, with only one out of the 15 exempted as it was already in the process of merging with another institution under the same sponsoring body.