Expand school allocation system to Shenzhen: principal

The "school net" system under which primary school places are allocated based on where children live should be extended into Shenzhen, a veteran school principal has said.

Hung Wai-shing, principal of S. K. H. Tin Shui Wai Ling Oi Primary School, said political issues should be put aside to establish a systematic allocation exercise based on the children's mainland residences.

This would help ease the pressure on schools in border areas that are being swamped by an influx of children born in Hong Kong to mainland parents or living in Shenzhen with Hong Kong parents, he said.

"There is a saying that Hong Kong officials should not do anything that may intervene [in the administration] of the Shenzhen government because it would affect internal affairs of the mainland," said Hung.

But a realistic way of addressing the problem was to disregard such issues, he said.

Secretary for Education Eddie Ng Hak-kim acknowledged at a media luncheon yesterday that creating a new school net for Hong Kong students living in Shenzhen and allocating them to schools based on their addresses outside Hong Kong was a viable option.

Undersecretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said any changes to the system must ensure there would be no criticism that Hong Kong children on the mainland had fewer rights than those who live in the city.