Parents of Primary Six (P6) students participating in the 2015/2017 Secondary School Places Allocation (SSPA) System will receive two application forms for Secondary One (S1) discretionary places (DPs) through their children's primary schools starting from tomorrow (December 8), a spokesman for the Education Bureau (EDB) said today (December 7).

     Students not studying in participating primary schools (including newly arrived children who are eligible for participating in DP application) can obtain the application forms from the EDB's School Places Allocation Section.

     "Parents wishing to apply for S1 DPs in government, aided, caput and Direct Subsidy Scheme schools participating in the SSPA System have to complete the application forms for their children and submit the forms with other necessary documents directly to the schools concerned during school office hours between January 3 and 18, 2017," the spokesman said.

     "The schools to which parents apply are not restricted by districts. Parents are strongly advised to consider the schools in all respects, such as their educational philosophy, culture, admission criteria, class structure, development and operation as well as their children's abilities, inclinations and interests to make a suitable school choice."

     One of the two application forms carries Order of School Preference 1 and the other carries Order of School Preference 2. Order of School Preference 1 stands for the student's first choice and Order of School Preference 2 stands for the student's second choice.

     Primary and secondary schools should not ask the students to disclose their order of preference. Applicants and their parents should not indicate their order of preference to the secondary schools.

     In addition, parents should submit not more than two DP applications. If parents are found to have applied to more than two participating secondary schools, their DP applications will be rendered void.

     The spokesman reminded parents that secondary schools should make public their admission criteria and weightings, their number of S1 DPs for application and other documents required by them. Schools might arrange interviews, and applicants would be notified of the interview arrangements.

     "Students who are successful in the DP application will not be allocated a school place in central allocation (CA). Parents should, therefore, apply to the schools of their preference. The EDB will match students' preferences against schools' successful and reserve lists. If a student is successful in both schools to which he or she has applied, allocation will be based on the student's order of preference," he said.

     Parents may refer to the Handbook for Application for Secondary 1 Discretionary Places for the list of government, aided and caput as well as Direct Subsidy Scheme schools accepting DP applications and the number of DPs for application. The Handbook will be distributed to primary schools and available through the bureau's homepage (www.edb.gov.hk) and 24-hour Automatic Telephone Enquiry System on 2891 0088 tomorrow (December 8).

     Parents are advised to consult their children's primary schools for enquiries about the DP application or approach the secondary schools directly.

     General enquiries may be directed to the EDB's School Places Allocation Section (Tel: 2832 7740 and 2832 7700; address: Office 2, 2/F, Manulife Financial Centre, 223 Wai Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon).

Ends/Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:00

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