Stiff competition for spots at Hong Kong’s elite schools even as almost half of pupils in city secure their pick for Primary One
- Almost half of applicants land a place at their preferred schools during the Primary One discretionary admission stage
- But some disappointed parents find that their children still have not been able to secure a place at elite school
Competition for spots at Hong Kong’s elite primary schools remains fierce, parents have found, despite the number of pupils securing a place at their preferred institution reaching a 15-year high amid a wave of emigration and shrinking student population.
The Education Bureau on Friday announced that more than 21,000 children, or 49.6 per cent out of 43,755 applicants, had landed a place at their preferred schools during the Primary One discretionary admission stage. There were 4,300 fewer applications, or 9 per cent less than last year’s cohort, forming a 12-year low.
On Monday morning, around a dozen hopeful parents turned up at the prestigious La Salle Primary School in Kowloon Tong to check whether their child had made the cut.
Although the allocation results could be viewed online, parents still showed up at the boys’ school to see them in black and white.
The high success rate for school picks comes amid a wave of emigration which began last year and a drop in the number of births, resulting in a declining student population.
Joe Au Yeung, a former pupil of La Salle Primary School, was happy to see his son’s name on the list. He said his family had no plans to leave the city and he was excited for his son to receive the same education as he did.
Au Yeung, a teacher in his 40s, said he wanted his son to be happy in school and have the freedom to develop his hobbies.