Primary one place allocation results announced amid fierce competition for 'door-knocking' quotas

Results for Hong Kong’s Central Allocation for Primary One Admission were released on Wednesday, prompting anxious parents to scramble for last-minute "door-knocking" quotas at their preferred schools.

Outside a primary school in Tai Kok Tsui, families lined up hoping to secure limited remaining spots, with some expressing concerns over intensifying competition despite a shrinking student population.

One mother, whose son was assigned his second-choice school, said she sought a more competitive learning environment through the door-knocking process.

"I worry that with declining birth rates and potential school closures, fewer places will be available in future years," she said, revealing she had enrolled her child in interview preparation classes since kindergarten, covering English, Mandarin, and musical training.

This academic year saw over 19,000 children participate in the centralized allocation, with nearly 80 percent securing one of their top three choices—a 4 percent drop from last year. Overall satisfaction rates, combining discretionary and centralized allocation, dipped slightly to 90 percent, down from 92.9 percent in 2023.

Principal Chan Shuk-yee of a local school noted her institution receives about 400 door-knocking applications annually for just over 10 vacancies, a figure consistent with previous years.

She acknowledged rising enrollment numbers driven by returning emigrant families and children of top talent scheme migrants but emphasized admissions remain merit-based.

"We assess applicants equally based on interview performance, with no reserved spots for specific groups," she said.

Cheung Chok-fong, chairwoman of the Subsidized Primary Schools Council, cited Education Bureau data showing a 1.5 percent year-on-year increase in Primary One enrollments, easing sector fears over drastic demographic decline.

"Competition ratios have softened—from 100-200 applicants per seat to about 70-80 now," she noted, attributing parents’ heightened aggressiveness to this shift.

Speaking on a radio program, Cheung revealed cross-school discussions on door-knocking quotas have dwindled since 2022, when the bureau halved such placements to curb "musical chairs" effects in admissions.

The policy, she said, has significantly reduced flexibility in late-stage recruitment.

(Marco Lam)