MOE Relooking P1 registration - Too much priority to alumni

[nms1]

DesertWind:

Siblings priority - get rid of this!

Why you give siblings priority for?
If we keep the alumni priority, then ALL your kids can get into the school using the parent's alumni priority. There is hence no need for siblings priority.

Furthermore, is it very important for all siblings to be studying in the same school? Not really right? Same school but different sessions also different mah? Wear hand me downs? No right?

Anyway, to illustrate an example, one friend's kid was in a neighbourhood school but at P3 got into a GEP school, famous brand-name girls school! Then subsequently her younger sister went into P1 using siblings priority. Is it fair? One more place taken away from those who stay nearer to the school. So imagine the cross-migration every-year from GEP students to GEP schools. Their siblings also ride on the coat-tail get into these schools. Fair??

I think the siblings rule is actually the fairest of them all especially now that all schools are going single session. What sense would it make for me to get my elder son into one school then have his younger brother in a different school? Two different systems to learn, two lots of school events to attend, it just makes much more sense.

I agree there is an issue with those who cross over to another school under GEP but that is only 5% of children and how many of those have younger siblings who can benefit. A brother can't benefit if his sister is sent to RGPS. My daughter has a friend whose elder sister was transferred but the sister was already in P1 so they now have the hassle of 2 girls in schools in totally different places.

[phankao]

DesertWind:

For me, too, my primary school already kerna demolished! :sad:
Nevertheless, if it is still existing, I think I SHOULD have the choice to send my kid back there as an alumni too! I think the alumni priority is FAIR! Why? Because all of us who attended an SG-school is an alumni of that school and hence everyone of us have the priority, no need to be jealous!

Actually when my 15yo heard about the possibility of this Alumni priority being abolished, he was quite unhappy about it. In my opinion, he didn't inherit it, we balloted for it, he has gained from the primary school, and he has also contributed loads during his time there. So I don't see why alumni priority is not fair? Same goes for my other boys.

[phankao]

nms1:

I agree there is an issue with those who cross over to another school under GEP but that is only 5% of children and how many of those have younger siblings who can benefit. A brother can't benefit if his sister is sent to RGPS. My daughter has a friend whose elder sister was transferred but the sister was already in P1 so they now have the hassle of 2 girls in schools in totally different places.

Haha ... my friend child chose NYPS when she got into GEP. Her younger sister also did the same. They were both from all-girls' pri school before that. They have 4 other siblings - younger brothers and sisters. The problem for which primary school to put their younger brothers were totally solved then, bc NYPS is co-ed school.

but then again, I wouldn't argue with that, lah - I think it's fair. Who wants to send their kids to different schools if can help it, yah?

But then there ARE kids who benefit from it. If you have 2 different genders, then try for CO-Ed GEP school.

[nms1]

DesertWind:

Clan Associations and religious members priority....is the door too wide-open?


Once upon a time it used to be those missions schools or charitable foundations schools are really set-up and run by the clan associations and of the same religious/charitable orders for their members. Is this still applicable in the current context whereby such schools are already all 'government run'?

I would say if the priority door is opened too wide, get rid of this as well!

The church & clan schools are classed as government-aided which means that they are only 90% funded by the government. The rest has to be obtained through fund-raising.

[phankao]

DesertWind:

Clan Associations and religious members priority....is the door too wide-open?


Once upon a time it used to be those missions schools or charitable foundations schools are really set-up and run by the clan associations and of the same religious/charitable orders for their members. Is this still applicable in the current context whereby such schools are already all 'government run'?

I would say if the priority door is opened too wide, get rid of this as well!

I don't know about Clans. I think there's some criteria too, to join, right? For religious priority, usually there's criteria too. eg. for church, the pastor has to write a letter certifying that the member is a regular member and active in the church activities for how many years, etc. For Catholics, the little ones are the ones that have to be baptised, not just the parents. I remember my friend saying - oh, just be catholic can get in under phase 2B, is it? So I attend Catholic church and say I'm from that church can or not? When I told her that she needs to get her child baptised, and that for children baptism, the adult has to be a baptised catholic or else the child is not eligible for baptism (for adult to be catholic takes several years), then she gave up the idea.

When we applied for our girl for P1 last time, all parents who were applying for their girls under the Catholic phase had to be interviewed by the Principal personally as well before our application form was accepted.

[phankao]

nms1:

DesertWind:

Clan Associations and religious members priority....is the door too wide-open?


Once upon a time it used to be those missions schools or charitable foundations schools are really set-up and run by the clan associations and of the same religious/charitable orders for their members. Is this still applicable in the current context whereby such schools are already all 'government run'?

I would say if the priority door is opened too wide, get rid of this as well!

The church & clan schools are classed as government-aided which means that they are only 90% funded by the government. The rest has to be obtained through fund-raising.

I notice in our School Fees statement that the ds2 that is in mission school has slightly higher fees than the ds1 that is in a govt school. Interesting. I never noticed that. Govt School (secondary), really cheap - S$20/mth. Mission school extra S$4.

[phankao]

3Boys:

Ok OT.


My previous question on PV. How about I hire a gardener/electrician/piano teacher/sports coach to do the task on my behalf. Will do a better job than I right?

School benefits, kids benefit, I benefit.

Logical?

hah - the school will look to see if you have expertise or not, lah. Or else, you'd end up being Lollipop man directing traffic.

You'd notice schools that have virtually no chance for PVs, eg. CHS, would have employed workers to be traffic wardens. But schools like NYPS which does have enough spaces for PVs to have some chance, would have many PVs as traffic wardens.

[phtthp]

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[phankao]

phtthp:

abolish the phase 1 sibling scheme. There're far too many PR children inside the Phase 1 sibling scheme now. Every child just re-queue for their turn - whether SG born citizen or PR kid, when comes to P1 registration.

.

really so many PR in Phase 1, meh? PRs so productive, ah? So far, all the friends I know with many many kids (4 to 7) are all SG citizens, leh.

[citygirl]

I’ve said my piece in previous threads and can only conclude - nothing would be fair in the eyes of all. But I thought I’d join in the fun with a proposal of my own. How about this:


Phase 1: for siblings of any child already studying in the school, or the children of staff of that school

Phase 2 (50% of remaining spaces after Phase 1): lucky draw at any school of your choice, with Singaporeans getting 3 slips, PRs 2 slips, foreigners 1 slip

Phase 3 (50% of remaining spaces after Phase 1): no choice - government to assign all who failed in phase 2 to nearest available school

And we abolish all affiliations from primary to secondary to jc.

*Parents won’t need to be exploited PV-ing
*Catholics/Christians/Buddhists/Muslims/Hindus can pray real hard they will get into their Catholic/Christian/Buddhist/Muslim/Hindu school at phase 2. If you succeed, God is great. If not, God has other plans for you.
*Alumni/grassroot leaders/clan associations also get a shot in the phase 2 lucky draw, together with everyone else - no distinction, no elitism. If you succeed, good. If not, appeal after the entire process and the truly active/outstanding alumni, grassroot leader/clan member will surely get priority in the appeal queue, totally at the discretion of the principal.
*Everyone will get a place in a school located near their house, unless they chose something far away in Phase 2 and was successful in the lucky draw.

Ok, bring on the comments/suggestions/criticism!