ide ▁in ▁by ▁order ▁of ▁preference , ▁and ▁the ▁remaining ▁ 9 0 % ▁of ▁seats ▁are ▁allocated ▁in ▁this ▁part . ▁School ▁places ▁are ▁allocated ▁randomly ▁by ▁computer . ▁ ▁For ▁children ▁who ▁res ide ▁in ▁main land ▁China ▁or ▁Mac au ▁and ▁comm ute ▁to ▁school ▁into ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁daily , ▁the ▁E DB ▁reserved ▁a ▁list ▁of ▁schools ▁for ▁such ▁applic ants , ▁which ▁are ▁located ▁close ▁to ▁border ▁cross ings . ▁In ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁ 1 2 0 ▁schools ▁participated ▁in ▁this ▁scheme ▁and ▁accept ▁cross - border ▁students . ▁ ▁School ▁n ets ▁The ▁PO A ▁System ▁div ides ▁schools ▁in ▁the ▁territory ▁into ▁catch ment ▁areas ▁known ▁as ▁school ▁n ets . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁is ▁divided ▁into ▁ 3 6 ▁school ▁n ets . ▁Of ▁the ▁ 3 6 ▁n ets , ▁n ets ▁ 3 4 ▁and ▁ 4 1 ▁in ▁K ow lo on ▁and ▁ 1 1 ▁and ▁ 1 2 ▁in ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁Island ▁are ▁considered ▁the ▁most ▁pr estig ious , ▁as ▁they ▁have ▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁popular ▁schools ▁with ▁above - aver age ▁academic ▁achiev ement . ▁Many ▁parents ▁who ▁can ▁afford ▁housing ▁in ▁these ▁districts ▁move ▁into ▁them ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁increase ▁the ▁ch ances ▁their ▁children ▁can ▁secure ▁a ▁place ▁at ▁these ▁schools . ▁ ▁The ▁E DB ▁has ▁sometimes ▁been ▁critic ised ▁for ▁failing ▁to ▁dist ribute ▁school ▁places ▁appropri ately ▁between ▁different ▁school ▁n