
79.7% of pupils get Hong Kong schools in their top 3 picks via allocation system
The figure from the Education Bureau on Friday was the third highest over the past 17 years. This year also saw the second-lowest number of pupils since 1997 join the central allocation system.
In Hong Kong, Primary One places at public schools are allocated using a two-stage process.
The results of the first stage, known as the discretionary admission phase, for the 2025-26 academic year were announced in November, while those for the second part, the central allocation system, will be shared with parents on Wednesday of next week.
The bureau announced on Friday that 15,538 out of 19,489 children, or 79.7 per cent, were allocated a spot at one of their top three choices under the second stage. Pupils submitted their preferences in January.
The latest allocation rate marked a drop from last year's 83.7 per cent.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Xinjiang posts by Yale researcher spark online backlash against Chinese universities
Some Chinese universities appear to have distanced themselves from a US researcher invited to their events, after social media users in China took aim at his past remarks on Xinjiang and demanded an explanation from the institutes. The latest in the line of fire is Central South University in Changsha, Hunan province. It has faced a barrage of online criticism since last Tuesday for having hosted Darius Longarino, who is a research scholar at Yale Law School and senior fellow at its Paul Tsai China Centre – a think tank that conducts China-related exchange activities and research. Longarino, who has criticised China's policies in its western Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in the past, was invited by the university in June to deliver a lecture on sexual harassment cases in Chinese courts. Central South University, along with at least two others that had invited Longarino for events in recent months have since taken down posts about those events from their websites. Chinese search engines still display links to the pages, but clicking on them results in an error message indicating they are inaccessible. Darius Longarino's research focuses mainly on legal issues relating to gender equality and the rights of sexual minorities in China. Photo: LinkedIn/Darius Longarino The controversy snowballed after some social media users highlighted Longarino's posts on X (formerly Twitter) from 2019 to 2022, where he criticised Beijing's Xinjiang policies, including those affecting the rights of sexual and gender minorities.


South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
China condemns Japanese ministers' tribute to war criminals at Yasukuni Shrine
China has expressed 'strong dissatisfaction' to Japan after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sent a ritual offering to a controversial shrine that honours war criminals on the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender. It was a 'blatant provocation against historical justice and human conscience', the Chinese foreign ministry said, referring to the visit to the Yasukuni Shrine on Friday by several Japanese cabinet members. 'To view and treat history correctly is an important prerequisite for Japan's post-war return to the international community and the political foundation for its relations with neighbouring countries,' the ministry said in a statement on Saturday. 'We urge Japan to face and deeply reflect on its history of aggression, act cautiously on issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine, and completely sever ties with militarism.' 06:06 Place of controversy: Japan's Yasukuni Shrine Place of controversy: Japan's Yasukuni Shrine Ishiba did not visit the shrine, but sent a religious ornament. However, several politicians from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), as well as members of the ultranationalist 'Japan first' Sanseito went there in person. Those visiting included Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato and Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.


South China Morning Post
11 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Singapore beyond 60: Lawrence Wong vows to keep country ‘exceptional'
Singapore 's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong mapped out his vision for the city state on Sunday in his first National Day Rally since his ruling party won the general election in May, promising to expand on a cross-border economic initiative and inject new life to northern towns. Advertisement Noting that the country was at a critical juncture after marking its 60th year of independence on August 9, Wong outlined long-term policy plans to 'take charge of our own destiny' in an era of global uncertainty with international trust waning, nations prioritising self-interest and a United States in retreat. 'We are not going to sit back and resign ourselves to being mere bystanders in a world shaped by others,' Wong said, addressing his Cabinet colleagues and members of the establishment and grass roots in the Singapore equivalent of a state of the union address. 'We take pride in whatever we do, and strive to be the best possible versions of ourselves [ …] That's how we've achieved exceptional performance. That's how we will continue to stay exceptional – as a people and a country,' Wong added. The central business district skyline in Singapore in May. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has outlined long-term policy plans to 'take charge of our own destiny' in an era of global uncertainty. Photo: Reuters Independent political observer Felix Tan called Wong's rally a 'rousing' speech that sought to 'make everybody feel that [ …] they all belong and they can contribute in some way or other'.