Automatic Primary 1 Placement for Children from Single-parent or Financially Disadvantaged Families and Standardising School Parent Volunteer Criteria

Ms Elysa Chen asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the ongoing review of the Primary 1 Registration Framework with the intent to strengthen open access and to support a good social mix in our schools will include consideration of granting automatic priority placement, in lieu of balloting, to children from single-parent or financially disadvantaged families who reside within a school's home-distance radius; and (b) if not, why not.

Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Education regarding parent volunteering as a route to Phase 2B priority (a) whether the Ministry has assessed selection and admission outcomes by parents’ income, occupation and working arrangements; (b) why schools may select volunteers without common published criteria or flexible service options; and (c) whether the Ministry will standardise safeguards or reconsider linking admission priority to unpaid volunteering.

Mr Desmond Lee: The Ministry of Education has been reviewing the Primary 1 Registration Framework and will share the outcome of the review soon.