Opinions of the Primary School Registration System

[3Boys]

dorisp:

So instead of blaming the system, we are actively planning ahead to apply as PV!

I do blame the system, and I think the PV system is a complete farce. Some schools do away with it altogether, so its clearly dispensable. IMO, its nothing more than a 'parent' selection exercise, see who has more time and can tahan more......and therefore more 'deserving'.

Not exactly very fair, and a waste of productivity.

[foreverj]

3Boys:

dorisp:

So instead of blaming the system, we are actively planning ahead to apply as PV!

I do blame the system, and I think the PV system is a complete farce. Some schools do away with it altogether, so its clearly dispensable. IMO, its nothing more than a 'parent' selection exercise, see who has more time and can tahan more......and therefore more 'deserving'.

Not exactly very fair, and a waste of productivity.

agree that its a parent selection/filtering exercise - esp for those branded schools. but then, without this PV process, where will schools find free labour like free traffic wardens? :lol:

plus, i think there are merits for potential future parents to be involved in the school activities so that they have an idea of the culture, values of the school principal n teachers. on top of that, the parents can stay connected with one another n be able to \"contribute\" their feedback/ comments to the school. of course, wat i've proposed is \"ideal situation\" la

[mummy168]

I am looking far ahead and see an issue with the current system which could contribute to an elitist society. With plans for schools going single session and with 2A effectively able to fill up to 100%, the likelihood of the school being out of reach for others is very high, considering that some popular schools already more than 70% taken up at 2A now. If this is to happen, wouldn’t it create an elitist group?Generations of the ‘2A’ group will continue to be guaranteed places in their school of choice just by the very virtue that their parents have studied in the particular school; creating a snowball effect. Will it be too late for MOE to review the current system only after this is to happen? The government is calling for integration yet the primary school system is heading the opposite direction. Like now, the govt is desperately getting pple to have more kids when just about a decade or more ago, it has asked pple to stop at 2? Don’t wait till the issue arises before taking remedy action. Plan ahead.

[verykiasu2010]

actually through the PV system, many schools and their students have benefited tremendously on many enrichment programs which the schools could otherwise ill-afford or not able to offer


anyone could disagree with the above.

but those parents / kids / schools - whole school, not just selected kids - who have benefited will know what it is

[tankee]

mummy168:

I am looking far ahead and see an issue with the current system which could contribute to an elitist society. With plans for schools going single session and with 2A effectively able to fill up to 100%, the likelihood of the school being out of reach for others is very high, considering that some popular schools already more than 70% taken up at 2A now. If this is to happen, wouldn't it create an elitist group?Generations of the '2A' group will continue to be guaranteed places in their school of choice just by the very virtue that their parents have studied in the particular school; creating a snowball effect. Will it be too late for MOE to review the current system only after this is to happen? The government is calling for integration yet the primary school system is heading the opposite direction. Like now, the govt is desperately getting pple to have more kids when just about a decade or more ago, it has asked pple to stop at 2? Don't wait till the issue arises before taking remedy action. Plan ahead.

I still do not understand your argument on \"elitist\". :?

afterall this is only Primary School.

[dorisp]

Just for friendly discussion sake.


An interesting issue raised recently about students of Graduate parents fairing better in schools.....so, is that \"unfair\" and a perfect outcome of \"elitist\" as brought up by mummy168?

[janet88]

qms:

verykiasu2010:

phase 1 - existing siblings : always enough...

I am aware of these.

Just speculating that mummy168's dissatisfaction could stem from the fact that \"P2A - always enough\".

She thinks P2A should not be the case of \"always enough\" or \"still enough\". Fight should be among P2A, P2B and P2C, not only between P2B and P2C.

Her unhappiness stems with those under Phase 2A.

[verykiasu2010]

dorisp:

Just for friendly discussion sake.


An interesting issue raised recently about students of Graduate parents fairing better in schools.....so, is that \"unfair\" and a perfect outcome of \"elitist\" as brought up by mummy168?

back to argument of nature versus nurture ?

[3Boys]

dorisp:

Just for friendly discussion sake.


An interesting issue raised recently about students of Graduate parents fairing better in schools.....so, is that \"unfair\" and a perfect outcome of \"elitist\" as brought up by mummy168?

If you read the issue of the Economist I cited, there is a side article about how in democracies, the elite serve the masses --> http://www.economist.com/node/17929027

[3Boys]

tankee:

I still do not understand your argument on \"elitist\". :?


afterall this is only Primary School.

Not to say I see it so extremely, but I think what mummy168 is saying is that there is the entrenchment of an elite class that perpetuate their stranglehold on premier education and other advantages in life. Primary school is not trivial, those P1 students in premier P schools already have a leg up on their peers in P1, in that they do not have to sweat it out for their child's future P school admission. Even in fairly elitist societies like the US, this 'lockdown' does not occur so early.

There is a problem, in my view, on that it is merely P1 students is not the point.