Tiny tots primed for Primary One

PARENTS are pushing their children - some as young as three - into taking extra courses and learning interview techniques a year before tests for admission to Primary One classes.

Private tutors said courses targeting kindergarten pupils were becoming more popular as parents tried to get their children into good primary schools.

Parents believed a reputable primary school would give their children a better chance of getting into a good secondary school, and eventually a top university, they said.

There are more than 800 primary schools in Hong Kong. About 10 per cent are run by private organisations and their students have to pay tuition fees.

Vivian Lee, head of the Children Potential Quality Development Association, said parents were showing more interest than before in spending time and money on their children's education.

'Parents want to send their children to elite private schools though the schools charge tuition fees,' she said.

'They start preparing their children for the Primary One admission interview one or two years in advance by signing up courses for themselves and their children. In fact, it's the parents instead of the children who are most worried about the admission.' Her association runs a special programme for kindergartens. It takes 10 months to finish and each month costs $590.