The Education Bureau (EDB) today (September 19) reminded parents who wish to apply for a Primary One (P1) place for their child in any government or aided school in September 2024 to submit their applications for discretionary places under the Primary One Admission (POA) System via the POA e-platform (ePOA) starting from this Thursday (September 21), or in paper form starting from next Monday (September 25).
Submission of applications for discretionary places
——————-
An EDB spokesman said, "Parents intending to apply for a P1 place of a particular government or aided primary school for their child at the Discretionary Places Admission stage under the POA System via ePOA should first register as ePOA (epoa.edb.gov.hk) users and bind their account to "iAM Smart+", and submit their applications via ePOA between September 21 and 29. For details, please refer to the Parent's Guides on the EDB website (www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/spa-systems/primary-1-admission/poa_eplatform/index.html). If parents choose to submit paper application forms, they should submit the completed application form together with all supporting documents directly to the school during school office hours between September 25 and 29. Parents who are unable to submit the application form in person may authorise in writing a representative to bring along the above-mentioned documents to the school on their behalf."
"Irrespective of whether the application is submitted via ePOA or in paper form, parents should submit only one application for their child. If parents have applied to more than one government or aided primary school, their application for a POA discretionary place would be rendered void. In addition, parents should not submit duplicate applications via ePOA and in paper form for the same child," the spokesman added.
The spokesman reminded parents that schools would process the applications in accordance with the established procedures and criteria at the Discretionary Places Admission stage. As such, there is no need for parents to prepare portfolios for their child.
In addition, children who have accepted the offer of P1 places in Direct Subsidy Scheme primary schools would not be allocated P1 places in government or aided primary schools through the POA System.
Application for Central Allocation only
——————-
If parents are applying only for the POA Central Allocation for their child, they should submit the application to the EDB via ePOA or in paper form on or before January 26, 2024. For submission in paper form, they should return the completed application form and supporting documents to the School Places Allocation Section (Primary One Admission) of the EDB at Office 2, 2/F, Manulife Financial Centre, 223 Wai Yip Street, Kwun Tong. Parents are advised to note that the School Places Allocation Section will be relocated in the fourth quarter this year. Details will be announced on the EDB website in due course.
Residential address
——————-
"When completing the POA Application Form, parents should fill in the actual residential address of their child. If a false address is given by parents to secure a P1 place for their child under the POA System, the application would be rendered void and the P1 place allocated would be withdrawn. If a false instrument has been used or a false statutory declaration has been made in the application, the offender is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 14 years or imprisonment for two years and to a fine respectively under the Crimes Ordinance. Suspected cases of using a false address for POA applications may be reported to the School Places Allocation Section by calling its hotline at 2832 7700," the EDB spokesman emphasised.
Follow this news feed: East Asia