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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 September 1 until September 29.
A spokesman for the Education and Manpower Bureau said today (August 30) that application for participation in the POA System for school entry in September, 2007, was open to all Hong Kong children born on or before December 31, 2001, except those who were attending primary schools or those who had previously been allocated a P1 place.
"Parents of children who are attending kindergartens or kindergarten-cum-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 kindergarten-cum-child care centres," the spokesman said.
"For parents of the children not attending kindergartens or kindergarten-cum-child care centres, the documents can be obtained from District Offices (Public Enquiry Service Centre) and EMB's Regional Education Offices and School Places Allocation Section."
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 25 and 29.
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.
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 25, 2006, to January 19, 2007, to EMB's School Places Allocation Section at 2/F, Lui Kee Education Services Centre, 269 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai.
"To ensure the fairness of the allocation system, if false information is provided by parents to secure a P1 place for their child under the POA System, the application will be rendered void," the spokesman added.
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 to these schools direct as they are not included in the POA System. Parents should note that 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
The cyber version of Primary School Profiles 2006 produced by the Committee on Home-School Co-operation for parents' reference in the choice of schools will be released on September 4. Parents will receive the printed version on a district basis through the kindergarten or kindergarten-cum-child care centre attended by their child starting from the same day.
Ends/Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:01
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