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Parents who want to apply for a Primary One (P1) place in government or aided schools for their children in September next year under the Primary One Admission (POA) System can obtain application forms from today (September 5) until September 30.
A spokesman for the Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) said: "Applications for participation in the POA System for school entry in September, 2006, are open to all Hong Kong children born on or before December 31, 2000, except those who are attending primary schools or those who have previously been allocated a P1 place.
"Parents of children who are attending kindergartens or child care centres may obtain the application form, explanatory notes on how to complete the application form and an information leaflet from their own kindergartens or child care centres.
"For parents of children not attending kindergartens or child care centres, the documents can be obtained from District Offices (Public Enquiry Service Centre) and the bureau's Regional Education Offices and School Places Allocation Section," he said.
The completed application form together with all supporting documents should be submitted directly to a government or an aided primary school of the parent's choice for a POA discretionary place during school office hours between September 26 and 30.
The school chosen is not restricted to the school net in which the child resides. However, parents are strongly advised to take account of possible transport problems when selecting a school not in their neighbourhood.
"Only one application should be submitted for each child. If parents are found to have applied to more than one government or aided primary school, their application for a POA discretionary place will be rendered void," the spokesman said.
"In addition, children who have accepted the offer of P1 places in Direct Subsidy Scheme primary schools will not be allocated P1 places in government or aided primary schools through the POA System."
If parents are to apply only for the POA Central Allocation, they may return the completed application forms, with supporting documents, during the period from September 26, 2005 to January 20, 2006 to EMB's School Places Allocation Section (POA) at 2/F, Lui Kee Education Services Centre, 269 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai.
Information on procedures for the different stages of POA is available from EMB's 24-hour hotline at 2891 0088 and its homepage (http://www.emb.gov.hk).
Parents who wish to enrol their children in the Direct Subsidy Scheme primary schools, private primary schools or primary schools of the English Schools Foundation should apply directly to these schools as they are not included in the POA System.
Ends/Monday, September 5, 2005
Issued at HKT 11:31
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