Primary One ‘door-knocking’: Hong Kong parents disgruntled with allocations flock to popular schools such as Diocesan Preparatory and La Salle
- Parents out in force in eleventh-hour scramble for places despite nearly three-quarters of pupils securing one of their top three choices
- Nearly 5,000 fewer pupils entering the city’s primary system in coming year, raising fears of classroom closures
Parents unhappy with the allocation of Primary One places descended on popular schools in Hong Kong on Saturday in a last-ditch bid to secure the education wanted for their children.
The rush on schools came despite a drop in the number of pupils seeking entry into the city’s primary system and the highest success rating for the process since 2011.
More than 27,000 pupils across the city found out where they will be starting school in 2019-20 with the release of the Central Allocation for Primary One Admission results.
Those whose children landed the school of their choice shed tears of joy, but for others the outcome was cause for disappointment.
“This is the happiest day of my life, even beats my wedding day,” said a mother who only wanted to be known as Yung, whose child will attend Diocesan Preparatory School, a popular and elite school in Kowloon Tong.
