Small-class policy hits Primary One bids for discretionary places
Competition for discretionary places in Primary One classes has intensified, with the smallest number of pupils in eight years winning spots.
The drop came as the new small-class teaching policy led to a decrease in the number of school places. Of 41,554 applicants, only 20,461 - about half - gained a place at their preferred government or aided schools.
Just over 8,800 places went to applicants whose siblings were studying at the school of their choice or whose parents worked there. The remaining 11,600 or so were selected though a points system.
The lower success rate comes despite fewer children applying for discretionary places this year. There were 41,554 applicants, a drop of 635 from last year.
Tse Yuen-ching, principal of CCC Wanchai Church Kei To Primary School in Kowloon City, said 70 per cent of about 300 primary schools had adopted small-class teaching since the policy went into force in the current academic year.
'The class size for schools with small-class teaching has dropped from 30 to 25.'
Chan Chi-hung, principal of AD&FD POHL Leung Sing Tak School, said Hong Kong's declining birth rate had affected applications for primary schools. With fewer children overall, parents were more likely to try their luck with popular schools.
'Thinking that they have more chances of getting a spot at popular primary schools because of the population decrease, many parents flocked to apply for the top schools.'
Chan said parents who failed to secure a place in the first round should include both their preferred and secured choices in the central allocation stage.
Results of the discretionary places allocation will be announced on Monday. Parents can check the results at their chosen schools from 9am. Registration of successful applicants has to be done on Wednesday or Thursday.
