Over 200 schools and 100 education-related organizations are set to participate in a summer education fair in Hong Kong, which aims at offering comprehensive information for students and parents from the Chinese mainland.

The second Hong Kong Through-Train Schools Expo will take place from July 5 to 7 at the Hong Kong AsiaWorld-Expo Halls 3 & 6. It is expected that over 10,000 visitors will attend each day.

According to Peter Lau Ching-wai, founder of the event organizer STEMPLUS, the lack of understanding of Hong Kong’s education system and characteristics of different schools is the biggest challenge for mainland students

Accelerated integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government’s aggressive talent-attraction policies have brought a large influx of mainland talent into Hong Kong, which has caused huge demand for their children to enter or transfer to Hong Kong schools.

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To serve their educational needs, the fair offers opportunities to understand Hong Kong’s education system. Students can also complete on-site written tests and do interviews with some schools, with the possibility of being directly admitted.

According to Peter Lau Ching-wai, founder of the event organizer STEMPLUS, the lack of understanding of Hong Kong’s education system and characteristics of different schools is the biggest challenge for mainland students.

Many parents are used to seeking help from online platforms and intermediary agencies. Such indirect and incomplete information often increases the cost in time and money for parents, and sometimes misleads them to violate Hong Kong’s regulations.

During the expo, parents can fill the information gap by having direct conversations and exchanges with principals and the admissions departments of renowned Hong Kong schools.

Last year, the expo attracted 125 primary, secondary schools and kindergartens, with over 30,000 visitors. Over 90 percent of the attendees were mainland parents and students, and approximately 10 mainland students were admitted to schools during the fair

The number of participating schools has nearly doubled from last year. Apart from primary schools and kindergartens, the fair also includes international schools and government-subsidized schools.

For the first time, the event has invited a number of quality school-sponsoring organizations in Hong Kong, such as Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and Yan Chai Hospital.

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A Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education examination simulation area will be set up for students to better assess their capabilities. The fair will offer lifestyle information, including tutoring services, housing, insurance, and school consulting, to help newcomers integrate into Hong Kong life as quickly as possible.

Last year, the expo attracted 125 primary, secondary schools and kindergartens, with over 30,000 visitors. Over 90 percent of the attendees were mainland parents and students, and approximately 10 mainland students were admitted to schools during the fair.

The Hong Kong government’s ambitious talent policies have yielded encouraging results. As of the end of April, around 290 000 applications have been received under various talent admissions programs, and around 180 000 have been approved. Over 120 000 people have already arrived in Hong Kong.

Contact the writer at stephyzhang@chinadailyhk.com