Twelve village schools are facing closure after losing last-gasp appeals against an Education Department ban on admitting Primary One pupils in the next school year.
Their failure to overturn the ban means they could face eventual closure and children in some parts of the New Territories and outlying islands will have to travel further to school.
The schools asked the department to review their cases after their initial appeals to reverse the decision failed two weeks ago.
Of the 19 village schools excluded from the list for Primary One admission next year, only five won an appeal and have been allowed to admit pupils provided they can recruit at least 16 by November 18.
Twelve of the 14 schools which lost the appeal requested a review of their cases.
An Education Department spokesman said yesterday the department had turned down final appeals lodged by the 12 schools last Friday.