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Mimi Lau

Hong Kong's bid  to enter a major intellectual attainment study has been saved after schools pitched in at the last moment. 
The South China Morning Post reported yesterday that the territory was at risk of being excluded from the 4th Programme of International Student Assessment (Pisa)  test. 
Not enough schools signed up to take part in the test - in which the city has excelled in the past - because they said they were too busy dealing with education reform. 
Chinese University's Hong Kong Centre for International Student Assessment, which has been organising the test since 2000, appealed to schools to join it.  
On Monday, Hong Kong was 13 schools short of meeting the participation requirements.  
 The turning point came yesterday, when five schools responded to the centre's call and agreed to take part in the test. This ensured the city met the requirements.  
Centre manager Kwong Wai-leung said the city would now have  enough schools to participate.  
Commenting on the university's rallying call on Monday, an Education Bureau spokeswoman yesterday brushed aside the  concern and called it a 'false alarm'. 
'Hong Kong has garnered sufficient support from the school sector and there is no question of Hong Kong not participating in Pisa 2009,' she said.
Mr Kwong insisted the situation was 'desperate' when  the centre made the appeal. 
The Pisa 2009 tests are scheduled to take place from April  to May.  
It is run every three years by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.  This year, students from 68 countries will take part.



Schools agree to join international study