Opinions of the Primary School Registration System
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While I think that the PV does impede the true spirit of volunteerism, I would like to tell my story.
Like all PVs, I also had to write an essay and went for interview to be become a PV. Only difference is only ONE parent can clock the 40 hours and it can’t be combined like what the other mummy has posted. I clocked over 100 hours for my PV alone, my DH was not involved at all.
My job as a PV was to take care of the BASC (Before/After School Care) for underprivileged kids at the school, help them with their homework, make sure they have guidance and not get into trouble.
The contract was for a year so there’s no problem clocking the 40 hours required. In fact, I think I ended up doing more than 100 hours. I went once a week for ONE WHOLE YEAR for 3.5hours every session.
While I became PV with the sole aim of getting my child into this school, this "forced" volunteering has opened my eyes to the plight of these "forgotten" children. They get left behind as their parents have no means to send them for enrichment classes or time to guide them at home as the parents are mostly low-waged workers working long hours just to make ends meet.
After my one year contract was up, I still volunteer my time (as and when they need help) and will continue to do so once my child enters P1.
So while I started out with the "wrong" motive, it ended up with me volunteering with the right motive.
I second the removal of religious affiliations. If you want to remove GRLs, PVs and clans then religions should be the FIRST to go. Sorry but primary schools should be secular. If you want religious teachings, send your child to a religious school in your own time.
Regardless of how these schools started out, the clans/churches affiliations should be abolished by this day and age. Imagine if government schools start having a political leaning in their leanings! -
mummyo:
:goodpost:While I think that the PV does impede the true spirit of volunteerism, I would like to tell my story.
Like all PVs, I also had to write an essay and went for interview to be become a PV. Only difference is only ONE parent can clock the 40 hours and it can't be combined like what the other mummy has posted. I clocked over 100 hours for my PV alone, my DH was not involved at all.
My job as a PV was to take care of the BASC (Before/After School Care) for underprivileged kids at the school, help them with their homework, make sure they have guidance and not get into trouble.
The contract was for a year so there's no problem clocking the 40 hours required. In fact, I think I ended up doing more than 100 hours. I went once a week for ONE WHOLE YEAR for 3.5hours every session.
While I became PV with the sole aim of getting my child into this school, this \"forced\" volunteering has opened my eyes to the plight of these \"forgotten\" children. They get left behind as their parents have no means to send them for enrichment classes or time to guide them at home as the parents are mostly low-waged workers working long hours just to make ends meet.
After my one year contract was up, I still volunteer my time (as and when they need help) and will continue to do so once my child enters P1.
So while I started out with the \"wrong\" motive, it ended up with me volunteering with the right motive.
I second the removal of religious affiliations. If you want to remove GRLs, PVs and clans then religions should be the FIRST to go. Sorry but primary schools should be secular. If you want religious teachings, send your child to a religious school in your own time.
Regardless of how these schools started out, the clans/churches affiliations should be abolished by this day and age. Imagine if government schools start having a political leaning in their leanings! -
I totally DISAGREED with the removal of religion affiliation. Doesn’t mean that u dun have any religion means that the schs dun have.
Religion schs started out because of the religion! The others just benefitted from it. It’s just so that most religion schs are academically stronger schs.
In fact, I think the first to go is grassroots and PVs. Why? Simply because grassroots are suppose to help the govt, not the sch, and as for PVs, yes, your time is wasted, but why exploit the PVs time when the schs can get the existing students parents to help out??
but for religion, you dun simple ‘join’ the religion for the sake of registering your child in a religious sch.
Some parents even complain that the religion schs are too religious, they want to reduce the amount of time spend on teaching bible studies, etc. But nobody ask you to go to a religion sch right? If u are worried about this, then you should go to other schs instead. -
Who say govt sch dun have political leaning?? Its subjective.
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tankee:
GRL will definitely disagree with you as they would feel that they are contributing to the community and country.
And if it a contribution, then why does it need to be compensated for by priority P1 registration? -
tankee:
GRL will definitely disagree with you as they would feel that they are contributing to the community and country.
In that case they should get priority for everything since they are contributing to the country. Priority in HDB flats, priority in medical care etc. :scared: :yikes: :slapshead: -
smurf:
Who say govt sch dun have political leaning?? Its subjective.
eg the so-called 'national education'.......better don't touch politics in ksp forum -
tankee:
GRL will definitely disagree with you as they would feel that they are contributing to the community and country.
In that case, GRL should have priority in HDB queues, medical care... -
someone once told me her not proven theory
Schools like PV. Parents who are concerned enough about their children education and willing to invest hours of their time to get into the school, will most likely be willing spend a lot more time teaching & guiding their children. such children will generally do better in their studies and make the school looks good.
furthermore, such parents are more likely than others to continue to volunteer while their children are studying there. -
Everybody will want to "keep" their status eg. if you’re GRL, of course you don’t want your privilege to be removed or if your church has affiliated schools then of course you will want the privilege too. So there isn’t one system that will please all.
The PV system allows normal folks like me to have some sort of privilege to get my child into a school of my choice. I don’t have the money to buy a home near the school. I don’t have a religion and I don’t wish to be a GRL as I don’t support the current government (but that’s just me) so I prefer to volunteer in the school of my choice, it allows me to get to know the culture of the school at the same time as well.
Most parents go into PV KNOWING that it’s not a guaranteed slot in the school so when that actually happens, they complained that they have wasted their time. Some complain that they have to to take time off their busy work etc. etc. (eg. making money and contributing to the country, more like their own pockets) so it’s an unfair system, blah blah blah.
What I like to say is, don’t PV if you are so busy earning money. Send your child to a less popular school. It’s NO BIG DEAL! But there are parents like me who would waste time PV just to get a shot at the popular schools so don’t discount us just cause you don’t have the time or are not willing to do so.
Schools need free labour and parents who want to get their kids in are happy to provide such free labour so why not??? Win-win what.
The thing is, know what you sign up for and don’t complain when the "bad luck" part catches up with you.
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