Give citizens priority in Primary 1 registration

[buzybuzz]

The debate continues. .


http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Online%2BStory/STIStory_418788.html

Thanks, being a PR is good enough

IN RESPONSE to letters by Mr Jimmy Loke ('The PR difference', last Saturday) and Mr Chia Kok Leong ('No school, no Singapore', last Saturday), I would only ask them to refer to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's speech reported last Friday ('MM: Foreign talent is vital'), where he gave an idea of the benefits citizens have over permanent residents (PRs).

I am happy to be a PR and although we do not get equal benefits in housing and other respects, that is understandable. We understand the difference between a citizen and a PR.

But where our children are concerned, we just want them to have the best education possible and I think we are not asking much. Citizens have the upper hand in buying homes and other respects, which is justified, but where schooling is concerned, 'every child has the right to get the best education possible'.

About living here for six years and not taking citizenship, I think this is a very personal choice. I would just like to end this topic by saying we are not here to compete with citizens but there are certain things on which one cannot compromise and children's education is one of them. I think we are not asking much and we are grateful to the Government for understanding that for every parent, his child's welfare comes first.

I would like to thank Mr Loke and Mr Chia for inviting us to become citizens but for now, I am proud to be a citizen of my country and have PR status in Singapore.

Sweta Agarwal (Mrs)

[oneheart]

I’m not sure what’s the procedure to apply for PR but I’m beginning to think that it’s relatively easy & advantageous that "foreign talent" are just getting it to enjoy the benefits.


I think PR can compete at Ph2C where all is equal but in other phases shld limit to citizens first.

[caroline3sg]

[quote]I think PR can compete at Ph2C where all is equal but in other phases shld limit to citizens first.[/quote]
That was what I meant when I mentioned exlude PR from 2B. This would free up space for citizens to volunteer.

I also think that PR should be together with 2Csupplementary, not 2C.

[caroline3sg]

[quote]'every child has the right to get the best education possible'[/quote]
They can always go to left over schools after 2C since our govt said all sch are the same and then compete at PSLE to go to top sec sch.

[qms]

[quote]But where our children are concerned, we just want them to have the best education possible and I think we are not asking much...where schooling is concerned, 'every child has the right to get the best education possible'.


..I would just like to end this topic by saying we are not here to compete with citizens but there are certain things on which one cannot compromise and children's education is one of them. [/quote] :? Every child has the right to get the best education possible. So, there still needs to be a way to prioritise. How to prioritise? By citizenship!

Not competing with citizens, but cannot compromise on children's education? Sounds contradictory. :roll:

[caroline3sg]

[quote]Not competing with citizens, but cannot compromise on children's education? Sounds contradictory.[/quote]
She probably meant housing and medical.

[caroline3sg]

Side track a little bit on housing: Foreigners invest & jack up property prices resulting many are homes slaves for 25 to 30 yrs.

[tankee]

[quote]'every child has the right to get the best education possible'[/quote]
:? btw, who is she quoting?

I recall some minister saying that all primary schools are Singapore are the same and offer good education .....

[caroline3sg]

[quote]I recall some minister saying that all primary schools are Singapore are the same and offer good education .....[/quote]
Even foreigners also knows not all sch are the same. Citizens are taken for a ride by own govt.

[Busymom]

Maybe the way to do it is not to totally banish the PRs from the earlier phases (too harsh for the PRs to swallow) but when there is balloting involved, the citizens will have priority. Eg. within 1km, if there are more applicants than vacancies, the citizens would have priority over the PRs. If there are still places left, the PRs staying within 1km can go for them or ballot as necessary. In this way, citizens who are staying more than 1km away would be behind the PRs who stay within 1km in terms of priority in each phase. The same goes for other phases. This would also entice the kiasu parents who are PR here to convert to Singapore citizenship. Or those who die die do not want to convert because of "personal reasons" would have to do PV under phase 2B and hope that there would not be too many citizen PVs staying near the school as well. How nice, kill 2 birds with 1 stone - so that Singaporeans stop harping about the issue/benefits of citizenship in this country while getting more PRs to become Singapore citizens!


By the way, as far as Jet Li is concerned, at least he bites the bullet and converts his citizenship. So what’s there for us to complain about??