All About Primary Schools' Balloting History

[doryps]

It seems more schools (those popular ones) are filling up their places earlier ie. before reaching 2C.

[verykiasu2010]

the sky is dark and gloomy, it is drizzling wet, depressing, and it is a day best forgotten - for those who lacked the luck in the balloting for phase 2B today.


you have my sympathies

BUT never mind, hold your chin high up, tomorrow will be better, all will work out well for the kid’s schooling for the next 6 years. Have faith and hope !

[janet88]

Schools have to meet MOE directive - go single-session by 2016. Tis is very worrying for parents whose kids are due for P1 registration later…by then will classes be cut down further. P1/2 have 30 in each class.


mummymilkshake,
There are lesser babies born each year, and the direction to go single-session. Maybe that’s why MOE doesn’t ask schools to increase in-take. To MOE, there are certainly enough schools for each student.

New citizens and PRs are one reason why there are more students, on top of that new condos built around 1km of popular schools. Just look at resale flats, prices just keep escalating. This confirms that there are indeed MORE people (esp PRs) in S’pore now.

[citygirl]

mummymilkshake:

Looking at the statistics this year, I counted that most of the hot schools have become much hotter. In phase 2B alone, a lot of balloting has to take place, even for those <1km. Based on live birth data for the past few years, 2004 is the lowest. So obviously, the increase has been due to new citizens and PRs. Why didn't the schools try to increase the intake? I am seriously hoping that MOE recognises the problem and at least try to ask the schools to increase their capacity if possible, by hiring more staffs if the physical space permit for more classrooms. Thinking further ahead, with this jump in intake, is it possible that the transition to single-session schools be postponed?

I don't think that new citizens and PRs are the sole reason for increased competition in popular schools. I believe parents are generally more well-informed and place more emphasis on education nowadays. So many parents are willing to try for schools that they deem are better than others, hence the increased competition.

I doubt MOE will mandate popular schools to increase their intake. There are x number of places in primary schools throughout Singapore, and increasing the places in popular schools will mean that the less popular ones are half-filled.

What MOE could do, and it appears they are trying to do, is to level the playing field by moving popular schools to the heartland and increasing the quality of learning in neighbourhood schools, eg. Beacon Primary as reported in the Sunday Times. This will take a few years but I think it's a positive step in the right direction.

[mummymilkshake]

citygirl:

I don't think that new citizens and PRs are the sole reason for increased competition in popular schools....

I do not think the increasing awareness of the primary school education system is the cause for the increase in competition for places in popular schools. It is possible, but any increase from this would in most likelihood be gradual and be spread out over a period of time, say 2-3 years.

[coolparent]

mummymilkshake:

Looking at the statistics this year, I counted that most of the hot schools have become much hotter. In phase 2B alone, a lot of balloting has to take place, even for those <1km. Based on live birth data for the past few years, 2004 is the lowest. So obviously, the increase has been due to new citizens and PRs. Why didn't the schools try to increase the intake? I am seriously hoping that MOE recognises the problem and at least try to ask the schools to increase their capacity if possible, by hiring more staffs if the physical space permit for more classrooms. Thinking further ahead, with this jump in intake, is it possible that the transition to single-session schools be postponed?

I thought so too until I found out that in today's 2B balloting exercise in a popular school in Bukit Timah, only 1 applicant is PR, rest all Singaporeans. I believe it is because of more condos being built around these schools (it is a strong selling point by developers) which increase numbes of potential applicants within the area notwithstanding national birth rate has fallen.

[verykiasu2010]

sometimes it is so easy to just point fingers at the foreigners and PRs without realising that the other 4 fingers are pointing backward at ownselves

[judgement]

Hi, this is my very 1st post. I’ll be registering my kid soon for phase 2C. I’m staying within 1km from Princess Elizebeth Primary School. should I go for balloting or… ??? What are my chances??? Really confused…

Any sort of advice would be grateful…
Thanks in advance…

[verykiasu2010]

judgement:

Hi, this is my very 1st post. I'll be registering my kid soon for phase 2C. I'm staying within 1km from Princess Elizebeth Primary School. should I go for balloting or... ??? What are my chances??? Really confused...

Any sort of advice would be grateful....
Thanks in advance...

if your kid is a citizen, even for balloting, there are two chances over a PR

[Leia vader]

coolparent:

mummymilkshake:

Looking at the statistics this year, I counted that most of the hot schools have become much hotter. In phase 2B alone, a lot of balloting has to take place, even for those <1km. Based on live birth data for the past few years, 2004 is the lowest. So obviously, the increase has been due to new citizens and PRs. Why didn't the schools try to increase the intake? I am seriously hoping that MOE recognises the problem and at least try to ask the schools to increase their capacity if possible, by hiring more staffs if the physical space permit for more classrooms. Thinking further ahead, with this jump in intake, is it possible that the transition to single-session schools be postponed?

I thought so too until I found out that in today's 2B balloting exercise in a popular school in Bukit Timah, only 1 applicant is PR, rest all Singaporeans. I believe it is because of more condos being built around these schools (it is a strong selling point by developers) which increase numbes of potential applicants within the area notwithstanding national birth rate has fallen.

agree with coolparent on the new condos being built within 1km of popular schools. but.. also know of many long staying PRs turned Singaporeans (blue ic turned pink) everywhere... :!: