Parents Push for Return of Student Grant as Textbook Costs Soar
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago1 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong parents and advocacy groups are urging authorities to restore student financial support after textbook prices surged to their highest level since the Covid-19 pandemic began. The Education Bureau's book list data shows prices now range from HK$4,000 to HK$6,000 for the 2026-27 academic year, marking a 3.6 percent average increase. The government eliminated a universal HK$2,500 student grant in 2025-26, leaving struggling families with only means-tested assistance schemes .
Key Points
- Textbook prices for 2026-27 average HK$4,000 to HK$6,000 per student, up 3.6 percent year-on-year
- The price surge represents the sharpest increase since the pandemic began in 2020
- In 2020-21, more than 90 percent of textbook titles had frozen prices; by 2026-27, only 20 percent remain frozen
- The government abolished the universal HK$2,500 student grant in 2025-26 along with other education subsidies
- Current means-tested aid offers full-rate support of HK$5,612 or half-rate of HK$2,806 for junior secondary textbooks
Why It Matters
The growing shift to digital learning materials has reduced print runs, driving up physical textbook costs while simultaneously squeezing publishers and retailers. Families already burdened by rising living expenses now face reduced government support just as educational costs climb, potentially widening inequality in access to learning resources .
The growing shift to digital learning materials has reduced print runs, driving up physical textbook costs while simultaneously squeezing publishers and retailers. Families already burdened by rising living expenses now face reduced government support just as educational costs climb, potentially widening inequality in access to learning resources .