MOE Relooking P1 registration - Too much priority to alumni

[limlim]

magiccastle:

Since all schools are the same , then the GEP classes should be conducted at the normal neighborhood(nn) schools and not at the premium popular(pp) schools. The nn school with the GEP class cohort will be able to produce top students with Stellar PSLE results. Then we can compare the school results of those pp schools with those nn schools but with GEP .

:goodpost:

[Tokidoki]

janet_lee88:

I don't think I am the only one who propose that Phase 2A should stay.

I definitely support Phase 2A to stay too...those whom dun belong to this phase will not understand the bond we feel with our school. Hope MOE will put more emphasis for SG Citizens.

[limlim]

magiccastle:

:hugs: Parents under 2b n 2c phrases will advocate to reduce the allotment for 2a phrase. . But once your children got in to the schools , you will want to protect the right to 2a phrase. , u will not want this phrase to be phrased out.!! It benefits generations to come.

so those of us whose kids already in the school shd be promoting 2A instead.. hmm....

maybe I shd change my stance... :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

[tankee]

doodbug:

Under this proposed scheme, for the popular schools, I think alumni who live >2km will have no chance of entering the school, even if they volunteer.

perhaps if the school is very popular.

but if the home is indeed > 2km away from the school, wouldn't it be better for the child's sake to choose another school that is much closer to home?

[castanst]

tankee:

doodbug:

Under this proposed scheme, for the popular schools, I think alumni who live >2km will have no chance of entering the school, even if they volunteer.

perhaps if the school is very popular.

but if the home is indeed > 2km away from the school, wouldn't it be better for the child's sake to choose another school that is much closer to home?

there is really no right or wrong to this.. every parents will know and decide what is best for the child.

this is like .. sme parents belive in sending their kids to tons of enrichment lessons..but sme dun believe in enrichment lesson at all!...
no right or wrong..

[Strparent]

magiccastle:

Since all schools are the same , then the GEP classes should be conducted at the normal neighborhood(nn) schools and not at the premium popular(pp) schools. The nn school with the GEP class cohort will be able to produce top students with Stellar PSLE results. Then we can compare the school results of those pp schools with those nn schools but with GEP .

yes, in that aspect, I personally feel MOE should do away with the GEP program altogether. Then it may filter off all these interest to get into the branded sch and lessen the effect of promoting elitism amongst the students ( & sometimes parents :siam: ).

The whole process has changed anyway in sec sch with the IP programs.

Moreover, hundreds of children are pushed and pressured to attend courses which 'teaches' how to do well in GEP selection tests, thereby making this so-called 'gifted ability' almost redundant and heavily lopsided to those who can AFFORD to be trained to be 'gifted' :faint: :faint:

Then all schools can be almost equal, and the MAIN priority should still be the proximity of the schools to the young children's genuine permanent residence.

Just thinking out loud, and caring for the children's welfare and hoping they have less stressing 'enrichments' just to catch up enforced in some instances by their kiasu face-wanting parents.

[lucid]

I think there is a focus on alumni as it seems to be a given that the government has "solved" the piority to Singaporeans issue. I think more should be done. At the moment, having 1 more chance over a PR does not mean that there is piority to to the citizen - it merely means that there is higher probability of being picked in a ballot!


A PR can volunteer and/or join a clan and/or worship at the right churches and be eligible for 2B now. In addition, they can also choose (and with probably more financial flexibility) to buy homes near the school of choice.

I would propose that ONLY citizens are eligible for the Phase 2A-C and all unallocated spaces be given to PRs after that. Now, that is real piority.

[dorisp]

lucid:

I would propose that ONLY citizens are eligible for the Phase 2A-C and all unallocated spaces be given to PRs after that. Now, that is real piority.

:goodpost:

[LOLMum]

dorisp:

lucid:

I would propose that ONLY citizens are eligible for the Phase 2A-C and all unallocated spaces be given to PRs after that. Now, that is real piority.

:goodpost:

what about phase 1 whichis the siblings phase? :scratchhead:
this is the one phase which could take up more than 50% of the available places. :sad:

should younger siblings of the pr student be automatically given a place?

[absolut_vodka]

Thus this being my 'suggestion' as posted on another similar topic thread.

absolut_vodka:

If the ministers want to convince us that all schools are the same, then they should prove to us by putting their own children/grandchildren into neighbourhood schools that are not popular.

I was formerly from one of the top all gals school and to be honest, though I love my school and all that it has provided for me, I am half-hearted to send my dd there due to the distance. Obviously, there will be some willing to trade places with me since it's definitely not an easy school to get into. I spent a good 11years (coz there used to be pre-primary available for enrollment) waking up at 5am to go to school and on some days only get home after the sun sets due to CCA or extra lessons and I can't imagine putting my dd through the whole agony. However, the schools around the vicinity of where I stay are all popular schools which are impossible to get in if I don't do something. The nearest one is even outside of 1km.

And to make matters worse, my hb's primary school has already closed down and that means for my ds (the younger one), I eventually will have to do something.

I realized after reading through the couple of related threads that there will be no pleasing everyone. Every current scheme has its pros and cons but it's not fair to one group or another.

So I asked dh what is his ideal registration process would look like, given that he has no links that he can use to get our kids into school and this is what he suggested:

1) to combat the low birth rate, local families (meaning citizens) with three or more kids get to select the school of their choice first. Given that education is a concern for many parents, this may well be one way to 'push' couples to have more than 1. This practice was used previously by the Govt. when they were pushing 'stop at two'. Women who were willing to undergo ligation procedures to stop at two were given priority in school selection. I remember one minister saying that education paves the way out of poverty for low income families. If there needs to be a cap on the numbers then maybe 5 km radius from their existing residence since that would 'enlarge' the pool of schools available for selection.

2) next phase would be for local families with two or more kids as above.

3) followed up balloting for SG citizens with one child. If there is a need to further differentiate locally born and bred citizens from new citizens, then one more ballot should be given to those whose fathers have served NS as a further recognition of the sacrifice made. Once the citizens have been admitted, the remaining spaces can be opened up to PRs and foreigners for balloting.

This is essentially a 'Singaporeans First' policy. Remember that we do not have a choice. We were borned here and so are our kids and so they must have first priority. PRs as we can see in many instances, do not regard themselves as Locals. Many use SG as a stepping stone to go elsewhere and they can give up their PR status anytime the situation looks less favorable to them. And they have the option to enrol into international schools - an option not available to locals. Same with the foreigners. Many opt for our local schools due to the cost concern.

This registration will even out the playing field. No more alumni/old boy/old gal priority, no issues of property prices escalating further around popular schools, no more exploiting poor parents precious time doing PV. The only downside I can think of, would be couples who have trouble conceiving. For those, it's off-topic here but govt can do more to fund fertility treatment since these are people who are willing to have children but are unable to. Unfortunately, for these individuals, I have to say that there has to be a cut-off age to qualify since it is medically proven that egg quality deteriorates as the women age.

I think this system will incentivize more to carry on having more than 1 child, more so than the measly $4k baby bonus that we get now, or the dollar for dollar matching in CDA (since many poor families aren't able to come out with the monies to put into the CDA a/c to begin with).

absolut_vodka:

Yes, I do understand that it seems 'unfair' to those who want more but can't have so if these couples don't mind (don't find it intrusive), maybe they can show medical evidence (fertility treatment records, miscarriages, dr's letter, etc) that they have indeed tried for more to get into phase 2 or be given priority over those who made the conscious decision to only have 1 in phase 3?