The Education Bureau announced on Thursday that the first school offering the mainland curriculum will be set up in Tin Shui Wai, with a view of serving mainland families in Hong Kong.

The bureau allocated a greenfield site next to the Hong Kong Wetland Park for the Yew Chung Yew Wah Education Network to establish a non-profit-making private school offering mainland curriculum.

The school, which will offer both the primary and secondary curriculum, is expected to welcome its first batch of students in 2026. It will eventually provide 900 school places.

"With the vibrant development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and Hong Kong's commitment in promoting the interflow of talent with the mainland and creating strong impetus for growth, it is expected the demand from mainland families in Hong Kong for mainland curriculum school places will rise,” an Education Bureau spokesman said in a statement.

Esther Chan from the school network said the school will cater for children who plan on returning to the mainland later.

"The plan is that of course our students are able to eventually take the mainland public exams, but how it's going to be held, I think we will need to figure out with the government," she said.

"They should definitely be able to transition well, should they return to the mainland."

She added that local students can also apply to join the school if they are interested, but said there’s no decision yet on how much the tuition fee will be.