Enquiries
To enquire about the aforesaid education services, new arrivals may call the EDB’s 24-hour hotline or visit the EDB website (http://www.edb.gov.hk).
EDB’s 24-hour hotline 2891 0088
New arrivals may also bring along their children and the originals and photocopies of the documents required to the REOs for processing of school place application (please refer to the section on “School Placement” above for details).
Contact details of REOs under EDB
REO Address Telephone Number Fax Number
Hong Kong Regional 3/F, 14 Taikoo Wan Road 2863 4646 2865 0658 Education Office Taikoo Shing
Hong Kong
Kowloon Regional Podium, East Block 3698 4108 2770 2012
Education Office Education Bureau
Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre
19 Suffolk Road Kowloon Tong, Kowloon
New Territories West 19/F, Chinachem Tsuen Wan Plaza 2437 7272 2416 2750 Regional Education 457 Castle Peak Road
Office Tsuen Wan, New Territories
New Territories East 22/F, Landmark North 2639 4876 2672 0357 Regional Education 39 Lung Sum Avenue
Office Sheung Shui, New Territories
Contact details of Newly Arrived Children Support Unit under EDB
Address Telephone Number Fax Number
Room 1424, 14/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East, 2892 6190 3106 2304 Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Education Bureau (December 2021)
EDB 115 Printed by the Government Logistics Department
Right to Basic Education
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides twelve-year free primary and secondary education (i.e. 6-year primary education, 3-year junior secondary education and 3-year senior secondary education) for eligible children. Under the existing legislation, it is compulsory for children aged between 6 and 15 to attend school. They may enrol in public sector mainstream or special schools, Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS), private or international schools. On completion of junior secondary education, students may proceed to Secondary 4 or undertake other training programmes.
Education System
Kindergarten
Education ● Children normally start kindergarten education at the age of 3. Under the Primary One Admission System, children aged 5 years and 8 months as at 1 September are eligible for Primary 1 school places, and hence children who reach the age of 2 years and 8 months by 1 September may enrol in kindergartens accordingly.
Primary
Education ● Children normally start their 6-year primary education at the age of 6. On completion of primary education, students will proceed to secondary schools through the Secondary School Places Allocation System.
Secondary
Education ● Children normally start secondary education around the age of 12. On completion of study at Secondary 6, students will take the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination, and then apply for admission to local universities or post-secondary institutions.
Tertiary
Education ● A number of universities and tertiary institutions are established in Hong Kong, offering full-time and part-time programmes at sub-degree, undergraduate, taught postgraduate and research postgraduate levels.
Vocational and Professional Education and Training
● The Vocational Training Council offers full-time and part-time vocational and professional education and training programmes at various levels to equip persons with different academic qualifications for employment or further studies. While students who have completed junior secondary education may pursue Diploma or Certificate of Vocational Education programmes, those who have completed senior secondary education may opt for degree, higher diploma, Diploma of Foundation Studies or Diploma of Vocational Education programmes. Higher diploma holders may enrol in top-up degree programmes.
Services for Newly arrived Children
Initiation
Programme ● Newly arrived children may, prior to joining mainstream schools, enrol in the 6-months full-time Initiation Programme at Primary 1 to Secondary 3 levels. The Initiation Programme aims to help newly arrived children early integrate into local school life. The programme contents include the learning of English, traditional Chinese characters, study skills, personal development, social adaptation, etc. Those who have completed the Programme will be placed in suitable classes at mainstream schools. Subject to the availability of places, new arrivals above the age of 15 may also enrol in the Initiation Programme.
School-based Support Scheme (SBSS)
● If newly arrived children choose to enroll in mainstream schools direct, the public sector and DSS schools admitting these children are provided with SBSS grant by the Education Bureau (EDB) according to actual enrolment.
Such schools can use the SBSS grant to provide adequate support services to these newly arrived children by catering for their needs in learning and adaptation.
Induction
Programme ● Newly arrived children aged 6 to 18 who choose to enrol in mainstream schools direct without attending the Initiation Programme may join the Induction Programme run by non-government organisations with subventions from EDB in parallel. Each class of the programme lasts for 60 hours.
Programme contents include personal development, social adaptation, basic learning skills, etc. For details, please call 2892 6190 during office hours.
Placement Arrangement
Officers at the Regional Education Offices (REOs) of EDB stand ready to help newly arrived children and young people with enrolment in local primary or secondary schools. To seek assistance in processing of school place application, parents can bring along their children to the REOs with the following documents (both the originals and photocopies):
1. the children’s Hong Kong Birth Certificate/One-way Permit/Re-entry Permit/Document of Identity for Visa Purposes/Passport/Recognizance form;
2. proof of academic history (e.g. student handbooks/report cards issued by schools); and 3. proof of residence (e.g. tenancy agreement/electricity bill/water bill).
New arrivals may also complete the form on the right and return it by post to the Placement and Support Section of EDB for assistance. School profiles containing information on kindergartens, primary and secondary schools are available at the REOs for public information.
School profiles are also available on the website of the Committee on Home-School Co-operation (Path: https://www.chsc.hk > School > School Profiles).
Other Services
Special Education ● Special schools are operated in Hong Kong to provide intensive support services for children with intellectual disability, hearing impairment, visual impairment, physical disability or moderate to severe emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Financial Assistance Scheme for Designated Evening Adult Education Courses
● The EDB provides subsidies for adult learners to take evening secondary education courses (i.e. Secondary 1 to 6) run by the approved course providers in designated centres. For details of the Scheme, please visit www.edb.gov.hk/faeaec or call 3509 7404.
New arrivals seeking educational assistance may complete this form and return it by post to the Placement and Support Section of EDB. (Please read the Guidance Notes overleaf before filling in the form.)
I. Particulars of Parent
Name_________________________ Office telephone number_____________________ Home or contact telephone number_________________
Address______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Correspondence address (if different from above)________________________________________________________________________________
II. Particulars of Children in Need of Assistance
"
"
"
"
Child 1
Name_______________ Date of birth _______ year ______ month ______day Gender_______
Grade at leaving of previous school________________________________
Date of leaving from school_______ year ______ month ______day Date of first arrival in Hong Kong _______ year ______ month ______day Assistance required :
joining in the Induction Programme enrolling in the Initiation Programme enrolling in a local mainstream school
enrolling in a special school:
School for Children with Intellectual Disability School for Children with Hearing Impairment School for Children with Visual Impairment School for Children with Physical Disability Other educational assistance (please specify):____________________________________________
Child 2
Name_______________ Date of birth _______ year ______ month ______day Gender_______
Grade at leaving of previous school________________________________
Date of leaving from school_______ year ______ month ______day Date of first arrival in Hong Kong _______ year ______ month ______day Assistance required :
joining in the Induction Programme enrolling in the Initiation Programme enrolling in a local mainstream school
enrolling in a special school:
School for Children with Intellectual Disability School for Children with Hearing Impairment School for Children with Visual Impairment School for Children with Physical Disability Other educational assistance (please specify):____________________________________________
Child 3
Name_______________ Date of birth _______ year ______ month ______day Gender_______
Grade at leaving of previous school________________________________
Date of leaving from school_______ year ______ month ______day Date of first arrival in Hong Kong _______ year ______ month ______day Assistance required :
joining in the Induction Programme enrolling in the Initiation Programme enrolling in a local mainstream school
enrolling in a special school:
School for Children with Intellectual Disability School for Children with Hearing Impairment School for Children with Visual Impairment School for Children with Physical Disability Other educational assistance (please specify):____________________________________________
Child 4
Name_______________ Date of birth _______ year ______ month ______day Gender_______
Grade at leaving of previous school________________________________
Date of leaving from school_______ year ______ month ______day Date of first arrival in Hong Kong _______ year ______ month ______day Assistance required :
joining in the Induction Programme enrolling in the Initiation Programme enrolling in a local mainstream school
enrolling in a special school:
School for Children with Intellectual Disability School for Children with Hearing Impairment School for Children with Visual Impairment School for Children with Physical Disability Other educational assistance (please specify):____________________________________________
Parent’s signature: __________________________________
Please fold and seal along the dotted line
Please fold and seal along the dotted line
Please fold and seal along the dotted line
Guidance Notes
1. Applicants should provide their personal particulars as required. The EDB may not be able to render assistance if the information provided is insufficient.
2. Personal data collected by means of this form serves as reference for schools or EDB officers in arranging school placement. When the children concerned have been offered school places or appropriate assistance, the data collected will all be disposed of if retention of such becomes unnecessary.
3. As stipulated in Sections 18 and 22 and Principle 6 of Schedule 1 of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, applicants are entitled to correct or access their personal data. Enquiries concerning the personal data collected in this form, including requests for access and correction to the data, should be addressed to Education Officer (Placement and Support), Placement and Support Section, EDB, at Room 1424, 14/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong (Telephone number: 2892 6191).
4. Parents are required to complete the form overleaf and return it by post to the Placement and Support Section of EDB for appropriate placement assistance.
WCH.S14
POST AGE
WILL BE PAID BY LICENSEE 郵費由持 牌人支付 NO POST AGE ST AMP NECESSAR Y IF
POSTED IN HONG KONG 如在本港投寄 毋須貼上郵票
BUSINESS REPL Y SER VICE LICENCE NO.: 4883
商業回郵牌號：4883Placement and Support Section Education Bureau Room 1424, 14/F W u Chung House 213 Queen’ s Road East W an Chai, Hong Kong
Enquiries
To enquire about the aforesaid education services, new arrivals may call the EDB’s 24-hour hotline or visit the EDB website (http://www.edb.gov.hk).
EDB’s 24-hour hotline 2891 0088
New arrivals may also bring along their children and the originals and photocopies of the documents required to the REOs for processing of school place application (please refer to the section on “School Placement” above for details).
Contact details of REOs under EDB
REO Address Telephone Number Fax Number
Hong Kong Regional 3/F, 14 Taikoo Wan Road 2863 4646 2865 0658 Education Office Taikoo Shing
Hong Kong
Kowloon Regional Podium, East Block 3698 4108 2770 2012
Education Office Education Bureau
Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre
19 Suffolk Road Kowloon Tong, Kowloon
New Territories West 19/F, Chinachem Tsuen Wan Plaza 2437 7272 2416 2750 Regional Education 457 Castle Peak Road
Office Tsuen Wan, New Territories
New Territories East 22/F, Landmark North 2639 4876 2672 0357 Regional Education 39 Lung Sum Avenue
Office Sheung Shui, New Territories
Contact details of Newly Arrived Children Support Unit under EDB
Address Telephone Number Fax Number
Room 1424, 14/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East, 2892 6190 3106 2304 Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Education Bureau (December 2021)
EDB 115 Printed by the Government Logistics Department
