(Sing Tao Daily) With the influx of immigrants and the structural decline of Hong Kong's school-age population, the number of students entering secondary schools is expected to drop further next year. The Education Bureau (EDB) will distribute application forms for S1 discretionary places for the S2/S2/3 school years next Monday, so that parents can submit applications for discretionary places early next month.

  Some secondary school headmasters are of the view that competition for school places in the coming year may be less severe due to the declining student population, but they are optimistic about the enrolment situation at the Discretionary Stage. Due to the epidemic, schools have not yet resumed interviews in the form of small group discussions, and they will endeavour to arrange for interviews with all applicants individually.

  Parents of Primary 6 students participating in the Secondary School Places Allocation (SSPA) System for the coming year will receive two SSPA Application Forms through their children's primary schools from Monday next week. By then, parents may apply for their children to no more than two secondary schools participating in the SSPA System, including government-aided and a few Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) secondary schools without restriction on the number of school places available in their districts. Parents can return the forms and the required documents to the selected schools by post or in person from 3 to 17 January next year.

  Kit Sam Lam Bing Yim Secondary School in Wong Tai Sin will maintain 40 discretionary places in the coming year. The school principal, Mrs Lau Yiu-hung, believes that competition for discretionary places may slow down this year due to the influx of immigrants, but she is not too worried about the impact on the school's enrolment, "Because our school has a good reputation and many parents have been paying attention to our school, I believe that there will be a certain amount of competition for places, just as in the past years.

  Lau Yiu-hung said that due to the epidemic, interviews in the form of group discussions have not been resumed next year, but she will endeavour to arrange for all applicants to be interviewed on an individual basis. She added that students will be tested on their language proficiency and general knowledge, as well as their ability to express themselves well. The school will also organise experiential primary school activities to showcase the school's curriculum and activities to primary school students and parents in the district, such as a trial science lesson and an online admission briefing session.

  The CNEC Lau Wing Sang Secondary School in the Eastern District will also maintain 40 discretionary places in the coming year. Principal Mui Chi-yip said the school receives about 400 applications every year, and expects the competition to be similar in the coming year, with an average of one out of every 10 applicants competing for one place.

  He said that all applicants will be invited to a physical interview, and revealed that the interview will be conducted in the form of individuals and small groups, the small groups will be "science encyclopaedia" and other situational questions, to understand the wisdom of their lives, the school will also be held today, Secondary One Admission Information Day and Learning Experience Day, about 800 parents and students enrolled to participate in the experiential classroom, the maximum number of seats for each session of 20 people.