AN increase in the birth rate during the Year of the Dragon in 1988 has led to a shortage of primary one places in some districts.
Education Department figures showed there were about 69,000 applicants for the Primary One allocation this year compared with 64,000 last year.
While there would be an overall surplus of about 10,000 places given the 80,000 total public places available, there was a slight shortage in some districts.
This meant some six-year-old students had to be sent to a school further from home, leading to complaints from parents.
Legislator Tik Chi-yuen said he had received more than 40 such complaints from parents in Tai Po and North District after the results of central allocation were announced this month.
Among the 69,000 applicants, 31,982 have to take part in central allocation, while the rest found a school themselves in the discretionary admission stage.
