Lo Wu closed-border quota upsets parents of children studying in city
Mainlanders whose children study in Hong Kong left scrambling for school bus permits as Lo Wu keeps limit on passes
Some cross-border pupils were unable to start school yesterday because they lacked permits that enable them to reach their school buses waiting in the boundary closed area.
Their parents, who had been campaigning for an increase in the quota of closed-area permits available at the most popular crossing point, Lo Wu, were caught out when no change was made, and had to make last-minute applications at Lok Ma Chau, where they now face a wait of up to two weeks for approval.
In the meantime they could use public transport, but parents are unwilling to take this because of cost, time and safety concerns.
While the number of cross-border pupils has increased by 30 per cent this year, the permit quota at Lo Wu has been kept at 2,600. At Lok Ma Chau, which has more space for the buses, it has been raised from 4,000 to 4,600.
A representative of a parent group that has campaigned for more permits and curbs on soaring school bus fees says he and his wife have no time to escort their children, aged three and five, to school through the regular immigration channel and by train to their schools in Sheung Shui.
"My wife and I have to work every day," Calvin Wang Xixu said. "It is impossible for us to take hours off work to take our children to and from Hong Kong twice every day."