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Parent to take six days off to approach ten primary schools
A father whose daughter was allocated to the seventh preference for primary one allocation is to take six days off to approach ten primary schools.
This came as the results of this year’s Central Allocation for Primary One Admission were released on Wednesday and will be sent to parents by post.
The Education Bureau said the satisfaction rate of this year’s Central Allocation for Primary One Admission has hit an 11-year high at 78 percent, involving a total of 22,898 children.
However, a father surnamed Wong said the allocation was like Mark Six, which was not transparent. He said he was not satisfied with his daughter being allocated to the seventh preference and would take six days off to take her to interviews with ten primary schools.
“I want her to speak out with her strengths via interviews,” Wong said.
He said he had also applied for about eight Direct Subsidy Schools and private schools, adding that “every school had so many applications” and “could not feel the emigration wave.”
Yaumati Catholic Primary School saw parents coming for interviews starting at 10am on Wednesday.
Among them, a mother said her child had been admitted to a primary school in Tsuen Wan, but the family was moving to Kowloon, so she decided to approach seven other primary schools in this area, hoping her son could go to school easier.
Another mother whose daughter was allocated to their first choice said they were not living in the catchment area of Yaumati Catholic Primary School, so they chose schools within their residential area to make sure the girl would get a place.
However, she said her daughter preferred Yaumati Catholic Primary School and often came to participate in activities. Plus, her best friend was also allocated to the school, so she came to approach it, hoping the two could go to school together.
A mother surnamed Yu said his child was not given a place at their first choice, adding she regretted being too aggressive in choosing preferences.
She said most kids from her child’s kindergarten were allocated to Yaumati Catholic Primary School, so she came to give it a try and would also approach three more schools later.
The school’s principal, Lourdes Yu Pui-kam, said they planned to receive 15 students through interviews this year. Given the school received some 300 applications last year, it would be 20 students competing for one place.
However, she expected the number of applications to decrease this year under the influence of the emigration wave, the decline in the school-age student population, and the increase in the satisfaction rate of primary one allocation.
The Education Bureau said the satisfaction rate of this year’s Central Allocation for Primary One Admission has hit an 11-year high at 78 percent, involving a total of 22,898 children.
However, a father surnamed Wong said the allocation was like Mark Six, which was not transparent. He said he was not satisfied with his daughter being allocated to the seventh preference and would take six days off to take her to interviews with ten primary schools.
“I want her to speak out with her strengths via interviews,” Wong said.
He said he had also applied for about eight Direct Subsidy Schools and private schools, adding that “every school had so many applications” and “could not feel the emigration wave.”
Yaumati Catholic Primary School saw parents coming for interviews starting at 10am on Wednesday.
Among them, a mother said her child had been admitted to a primary school in Tsuen Wan, but the family was moving to Kowloon, so she decided to approach seven other primary schools in this area, hoping her son could go to school easier.
Another mother whose daughter was allocated to their first choice said they were not living in the catchment area of Yaumati Catholic Primary School, so they chose schools within their residential area to make sure the girl would get a place.
However, she said her daughter preferred Yaumati Catholic Primary School and often came to participate in activities. Plus, her best friend was also allocated to the school, so she came to approach it, hoping the two could go to school together.
A mother surnamed Yu said his child was not given a place at their first choice, adding she regretted being too aggressive in choosing preferences.
She said most kids from her child’s kindergarten were allocated to Yaumati Catholic Primary School, so she came to give it a try and would also approach three more schools later.
The school’s principal, Lourdes Yu Pui-kam, said they planned to receive 15 students through interviews this year. Given the school received some 300 applications last year, it would be 20 students competing for one place.
However, she expected the number of applications to decrease this year under the influence of the emigration wave, the decline in the school-age student population, and the increase in the satisfaction rate of primary one allocation.
