All About Measuring Home-School Distance
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In Straits Time today, one disappointed parent who stay next to a school did not get in during ballot.
The parent suggested something very interesting, if there is a need to ballot even within 1km, should shrink to 0.5km for those who are even nearer to the school.
Interesting point. -
JonC:
in a high density HDB estate, the next clamour will be to measure the vertical distance as well, then plus the walking distance......surely someone who stays at second floor is nearer than someone who stays at 52nd floor. No ?In Straits Time today, one disappointed parent who stay next to a school did not get in during ballot.
The parent suggested something very interesting, if there is a need to ballot even within 1km, should shrink to 0.5km for those who are even nearer to the school.
Interesting point. -
JonC:
An extract of the article from ST forum.In Straits Time today, one disappointed parent who stay next to a school did not get in during ballot.
The parent suggested something very interesting, if there is a need to ballot even within 1km, should shrink to 0.5km for those who are even nearer to the school.
Interesting point.
ST Forum
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Aug 21, 2010
Fine-tune Primary 1 registration criteria
MY SON was unsuccessful in the balloting for Rivervale Primary School.
Naturally, we were disappointed and the downpour after the balloting did not help.
We chose the school because it is across the road from home. We were also thinking of our younger daughter who will be in Primary 1 a year later. Having siblings in the same school is comforting, especially when they are embarking on an important experience.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) should fine-tune its criteria.
When there are too many applicants within a 1km radius of a school, priority should be given to applicants living within 500m.
The way HDB flats are built puts many flats within 1km of more than one school. But when parents focus on a certain school, it creates unnecessary competition, renders the rule ineffective and is unfair to applicants living closer to the school.
The ballot box has seen better days and manual balloting is outdated. Many ballots were stuck to the edge of the rectangular tank in our balloting process, rendering it unfair. An electronic balloting system is cleaner and fairer.
I hope the ministry will consider my suggestions and make the changes in time. It should be aware of the stress that parents and their young children undergo. For families like mine, living as close as possible to their school of choice, and having children in the same school closest to home, are not only convenient, but also practical.
Stanley Kee -
verykiasu2010:
in a high density HDB estate, the next clamour will be to measure the vertical distance as well, then plus the walking distance......surely someone who stays at second floor is nearer than someone who stays at 52nd floor. No ?
Wah... well said. *clap* *clap* -
My personal opinion is no matter what the selection criteria is, there will be people who will not be happy. :rant: No one system can make everybody happy unless it can guarantee that everyone can be registered in their \"choice\" sch (which can never happen).
Although I may not like the current system, I just try my best to fulfill the requirements if I really want it that bad.
Of course there are some sch still beyond reach no matter how hard u try (eg. Catholic High and st. nicks). Even if u dun mind putting in 40 hrs of work and move to stay within 1km, u may still ended up being ballot out from the system.
Does that mean that we should also complain that the system is not fair as all the old boys have taken the places? No.
My DH and I juz have to tell ourselves we only have ourselves to blame for not working hard during our sch days and get into full sch like St Nicks or Catholic High. We can also blame our luck for not staying near good primary sch then our parents would have enrolled us in these sch during our primary sch years. :frustrated:
Although I do not agree that all sch are the same (like what MOE always claims), I believe there are sufficient good sch to go around. Only thing is whether parents have made the effort to find out or they are juz too hung up on the so called \"good\" sch.
One very good eg would be haig girls. If IM able to resolve the sch bus issue, I would have chosen haig girls. It's a very good sch both in terms of academic and CCA but yet the take up rate is not as fierce as CHIJ Katong. There have also been very positive reviews from existing parents but not many people are aware.
Thus I feel that this KSP website is really good. :lovesite: It's an avenue for us parents to discover other \"gems\" as well. Through the forum, I have also learnt that some of these \"good\" sch are not that \"good\" aft all.
Although IM aiming Maris Stella for my DS when his time comes, I know that both DH and I will not be dishearten if ultimately we din managed to get him into Maris Stella. There is always a back up sch.
Hope I din offend anyone but this is really my 2cents worth. Hope other parents can also see the light. -
cantbearit2:
Hi there,
My DH and I juz have to tell ourselves we only have ourselves to blame for not working hard during our sch days and get into full sch like St Nicks or Catholic High. We can also blame our luck for not staying near good primary sch then our parents would have enrolled us in these sch during our primary sch years. :frustrated:
Just chanced upon your post. Not familiar with your background ie were you involved in next year's P1 intake but just want to share my input after reading your post ....
Don't judge yourself, your circumstance and your lack of luck so harshly :hugs: if the 'unthinkable' were to happen.
As you mentioned, a \"good\" school is subjective among all parents ie one man's meat may be another man's poison. You have discovered it for yourself through your 'research' in KSP so take heart.
I know all parents want the best for their kids. And they WILL try their best to ensure that their kids HAVE the best. But life isn't always rosy nor fair and kudos to you for having a positive attitude with regards to school searching for your DS.
Getting one's child into a good school is just a baby step (my personal view) to ensuring that the child will do well. There will be six years before the parent sees the fruit of this labour. In the meantime, the parent has to spend that no of years (of course working together with the school) consistently sowing the seeds to cultivate a holistic child both academically and morally. If the parent does not put in that amount of effort that he did in securing the child in the \"good\" school, then what good has he done?? And the cycle repeats itself again in the selection of a secondary school.
I am joining the bandwagon soon. So this is my way of keeping myself sane in this 'in-sane' process
My 2 cents .....
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:goodpost: cantbearit2 and autumnbronze, couldn't agree more!
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autumnbronze:
Hi autumnbronze,
Hi there,
Just chanced upon your post. Not familiar with your background ie were you involved in next year's P1 intake but just want to share my input after reading your post ....
Don't judge yourself, your circumstance and your lack of luck so harshly :hugs: if the 'unthinkable' were to happen.
As you mentioned, a \"good\" school is subjective among all parents ie one man's meat may be another man's poison. You have discovered it for yourself through your 'research' in KSP so take heart.
I know all parents want the best for their kids. And they WILL try their best to ensure that their kids HAVE the best. But life isn't always rosy nor fair and kudos to you for having a positive attitude with regards to school searching for your DS.
Getting one's child into a good school is just a baby step (my personal view) to ensuring that the child will do well. There will be six years before the parent sees the fruit of this labour. In the meantime, the parent has to spend that no of years (of course working together with the school) consistently sowing the seeds to cultivate a holistic child both academically and morally. If the parent does not put in that amount of effort that he did in securing the child in the \"good\" school, then what good has he done?? And the cycle repeats itself again in the selection of a secondary school.
I am joining the bandwagon soon. So this is my way of keeping myself sane in this 'in-sane' process
My 2 cents .....
thks for the encouragement. My DD1 will start her 6 yrs journey in Marymount Convent next year. DD2 will join her 3 yrs later. DS3 still have long way to go.
:lol:
Good luck to you next yr. and happy searching!
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Hi, does the school redraw the 2km radius every year? If yes, when will they publish the latest radius? Thanks. Cos my house is just outside the 2km (2.01km
) radius, and I heard from another parent that her house was also outside 2km in 2009, but was in 2km in 2010, wonder how true is this. -
rosicky:
Hi, does the school redraw the 2km radius every year? If yes, when will they publish the latest radius? Thanks. Cos my house is just outside the 2km (2.01km
) radius, and I heard from another parent that her house was also outside 2km in 2009, but was in 2km in 2010, wonder how true is this.
Why should distance differ if the school is still in the same place? :scratchhead:
Could the other parent have used different sources to arrive at the distance? Schools only recognise one source - One Map.
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