Parents reminded to choose primary schools

     Children who have joined the Primary One Admission (POA) System for 2020 but have not yet secured a discretionary place can take part in the Central Allocation process by making their choice of schools on either Saturday (January 18) or Sunday (January 19).

     "By participating in Central Allocation, these students will be allocated a government or aided primary school place," a spokesman for the Education Bureau said today (January 13).

     "The School Places Allocation Section of the bureau has sent letters to the parents concerned inviting them to make their choice of schools at a specified Central Allocation Centre. Each centre will operate from 9.30am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 4.30pm on January 18 and January 19.

     "A completed Choice of Schools Form must be returned to the same centre on either of the two days," the spokesman said.

     "Parents who have not yet received the invitation letter should call the School Places Allocation Section at 2832 7700 as soon as possible."

     Parents who have recently moved or have plans to move in the near future are required to inform the School Places Allocation Section as soon as possible so that they can make school choices in the POA School Net where their new home is located. Parents should fill in the actual residential address of their child. If a false address is given by parents to secure a Primary One (P1) place for their child under the POA System, the application will be rendered void and the P1 place allocated will be withdrawn.

     The bureau has put in place a monitoring mechanism to verify the residential addresses of children as given by the parents. Random checks of applicant children's addresses are also being stepped up. The public are encouraged to report suspected cases of individuals using a false address to the School Places Allocation Section by calling the hotline at 2832 7700. As in previous years, the bureau will take appropriate action against false address cases.

     For enquiries about the procedures for Central Allocation, please call the bureau's 24-hour automatic telephone enquiry service at 2891 0088.

     Central Allocation is composed of two parts. Part A, which takes up 10 per cent of the P1 places earmarked for Central Allocation, is for unrestricted school choices. Parents can choose up to three government or aided primary schools in any school net. Part B takes up the remaining 90 per cent of the P1 places earmarked for Central Allocation. Parents of applicant children residing in the school net concerned are to select schools from the "Choice of Schools List for Central Allocation" of their school net, while parents of applicant children who intend to commute daily to schools in Hong Kong are to select schools from the "Choice of Schools List for Central Allocation (For Applicant Children who intend to commute daily to schools in Hong Kong)". Parents should fill in the Choice of Schools Form in the order of their preference.

     The computer-programmed Central Allocation will first process the school choices in Part A and then the school choices in Part B. For oversubscribed schools, the order of priority in allocating places will be determined by random numbers generated by the computer for individual applications. This is to ensure fairness to all applicant children.

     For applications for participation in POA 2020 after January 19, parents need to complete the necessary procedures with the School Places Allocation Section of the Education Bureau. The Education Bureau will separately arrange P1 places for the applicant children this June.

     In the event of adverse weather or other special conditions on any day during the period of making school choices, please pay heed to radio or television announcements on any special arrangements.

     The results of Central Allocation are scheduled for release on June 6.