Parents who wish to apply for a Primary One place in government or aided schools for their children in September next year under the Primary One Admission System can obtain Application Forms between September 1 and 19.

Application for participation in the System for school entry in September 2004 is open to all Hong Kong-belonging children born on or before December 31, 1998, except those who are attending primary schools or those who have been allocated a P1 place previously.

Parents of children who are attending kindergartens or child care centres may obtain the application form, explanatory notes on how to complete the form and an information leaflet from their own kindergartens or child care centres. 

For parents of the children not attending kindergartens or child care centres, the documents can be obtained from District Offices (Public Enquiry Service Centre) and the Education & Manpower Bureau's Regional Education Offices and School Places Allocation Section.

The completed Application Form together with all supporting documents should be submitted direct to a government school or an aided primary school of the parent's choice for a discretionary place during school office hours between September 15 and 19.

The chosen school is not restricted to the school net in which the child resides. 

However, parents are strongly advised to select a school in their neighbourhood to reduce unnecessary transport problems.

The bureau pointed out that 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 Primary One Admission discretionary place will be rendered void.

In addition, children who have accepted the offer of Primary One places in Direct Subsidy Scheme primary schools will not be allocated Primary One places in government or aided primary schools through the system.

If parents are to apply for the central allocation only, they may return the completed application forms, with supporting documents, during the period from September 15, 2003 to January 16, 2004 to the School Places Allocation Section (POA), Education & Manpower Bureau, 2/F, Lui Kee Education Services Centre, 269 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai.

Parents who wish to enrol their children in 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 Primary One Admission System.

Information on procedures for the different stages of Primary One Admission is available from the bureau's 24-hour automatic telephone enquiry system at 2891 0088 and its homepage.