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Hong Kong principal urges parents against aggressively seeking out preferred campuses amid secondary school allocation woes

  • Some 66 per cent of primary school pupils secured their top choice this year, down from last year’s record of 71 per cent
  • Authorities have also halved quotas for schools to accept students who directly approach them after being dissatisfied with their assigned school

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Happy students receive their allocation results at Yaumati Catholic Primary School (Hoi Wang Road). Photo: Jonathan Wong
A Hong Kong primary school principal has called on parents of enrolling secondary students who are unhappy with the central allocation results not to be too aggressive in approaching their preferred campuses as authorities have halved such quotas this year.
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At Yaumati Catholic Primary School on Tuesday, laughter, screams and tears were observed as Primary Six pupils learned about the schools assigned to them. About 66 per cent of pupils citywide secured their first pick through the system this year, down from last year’s record high of 71 per cent.

Students celebrate their allocation results at Yaumati Catholic Primary School. Photo: Leopold Chen
Students celebrate their allocation results at Yaumati Catholic Primary School. Photo: Leopold Chen

The Education Bureau last week said schools could only use one of two places reserved in Form One classes for pupils who had to repeat a year to enrol students unhappy with their allocated institutions.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday said the falling student population was a “structural problem”, as people had left the city and the birth rate remained low.

But he said he believed the worst of the emigration wave had passed and that authorities were considering measures that could encourage residents to have children.

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In Yau Ma Tei, construction worker Jimmy Wong, 51, shed tears of joy after finding out his daughter had been allocated her top choice, Pooi To Middle School in Kowloon City.

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