Cross-border pupils see less intense Hong Kong primary school competition near mainland China

Fewer applications received from mainland parents this year after Shenzhen relaxed its admission policies

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Primary schools such as Wai Chow Public School in Sheung Shui released allocation results on Monday morning. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Published: 2:28pm, 27 Nov 2017Updated: 10:43pm, 27 Nov 2017

Competition for a seat at Hong Kong’s primary schools located near the mainland eased slightly this year after Shenzhen relaxed admission policies for cross-border pupils.

School principals said they were receiving fewer applications from mainland parents, with some worried about what might happen if the declining numbers continue as expected in the coming years.

Their concerns came as the neighbouring city Shenzhen announced in April that it would allow children born in Hong Kong to mainland parents to apply to Shenzhen public primary schools, even if they lacked a Chinese household registration.

The number of applicants for Wai Chow Public School in Sheung Shui fell to 183 from 222 last year. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Between 2001 and 2012, over 202,000 such children were born. Many of them travel across the border to attend Hong Kong’s public primary schools, as mainland public schools could not admit them previously.

Wong Wing-keung, principal of the Wai Chow Public School in Sheung Shui near the Shenzhen border, described competition this year as “still fierce” but said the applicant number was expected to be “much lower next year”.