IN THE Primary 1 registration exercise, many schools have conducted balloting for those living within 1km of a school.

The 1km radius actually covers a lot of flats in the vicinity and it is very unfair to children who live nearer to the school and yet fail to get a place. They would then have to take the school bus to other primary schools.

I failed to get a place for my child in a school just a few blocks away from our flat, and will have to settle for schools outside the 1km zone.

My wife and I are working parents and we are relying on my parents to take care of our child outside school hours. With co-curricular activities usually held outside school hours, my parents, who are in their 60s, may have to take the child to or from school.

The Ministry of Education should consider giving priority to children who live within 500m of a school, to ensure that they get a place there.

Eric Poon Wai Choong