MOE Relooking P1 registration - Too much priority to alumni

[dorisp]

The issue is \"Distance\" vs \"Connection\".


Decision making ultimately will be \"Head\" vs \"Heart\".

[larkspur]

phtthp:

janet_lee88,


when you were a child donkey years back and your school needed funds urgently back then to build more classrooms, better teaching / sports facilities, need $ urgently to conduct certain educational programmes that can benefit the entire school cohorot, who were the people that funded all these ? Back then, it was the 2A1 folks, from that past generation! Didn't you receive the benefit too, when you were a child once upon a time studying in your alma mater?

likewise your P2 daughter now studying at CHIJ Toa Payoh or your son studying in Pei Hwa all these 6 years, who were the people pumping in funds to support ongoing current beneficial school going activities ? Is from the 2A1 alumni, from this current generation !

for every single penny collected painstakingly, the 2A1 alumni constantly brainstorm, come together hold meetings, constantly crack head - now, we've invested so many pennies. How to invest each penny collected to the best optimal use, so that all kids in the school benefit ? We draw up proposal plans, vetted and approved by school principal. At the end of every 3 to 6 months, we hold alumni meeting, report to school, report to all alumni members - checklist how each single penny has been well spent. So, aren't your 2 kids currently now at CHIJ TPY and Pei Hwa, receving such benefit now?

whether you support 2A1 or 2A2, we belong to the same family!

so why do you keep persecuting the 2A1 alumni?

ya agree too. i still remembered used to actively help to raise funds in p5 for the new building and also the alumni helped to raise funds and fund fair. When we finally moved to new building,still remembered the principal saying thanks to the old boys and girls and the current students , and that for us p6, we got to use the building for only 1 year but principal told us, remember to send your kids back next time to let them see the building and places daddies and mummies helped to raise fund. Sometimes i still cannot get over not registering my child in my old school but no choice cos old school >2km away from my house

[dorisp]

Lyddon:

....Hence, Distance cannot be the ONLY criterion, otherwise (over time) it will gradually lead to a situation where the average joe will be marginalized from these over-subscribed schools - especially so for schools of type B).

How about now the average joe marginalized by these over-subscribed alumnis................... :evil:

:siam:

[Lizzie]

limlim:

laughingcat:

[quote=\"Lyddon\"]With our world-class transportation system, how much time does it take to travel 2km or 4km? There are primary schools near home above 2km but less than 4km. It takes me 10mins drive and less than 20 mins public bus to get to either school. Within a radius of 5km, Dist ance is really not a big deal.

Good point. Our transportation system has greatly improved from 1998 to todate. MRT/LRT could be right at your doorstep and increased frequency and network of buses. With such convenience and moving forward with today good transportation, the distance priority should be reviewed in terms of 0-2km and 2-5km.

oh really?

My kids school is within 1km and time taken to go to the school takes approx 15~20mins factoring in walking, waiting time and bus traveling time. And the traffic is not that heavy for that stretch of road..

So.. what is the other advantage for nearby schools if waiting time for buses is assumed to be same (which may not be valid as nearby school might provide more than 1 parallel bus service for that stretch of road)..

Well.. Walking is AN OPTION. not so for the far far away......[/quote]Has anyone driven along BKT during peak hours (7am+) from Balmoral to the other end of BKT near MGS? Has anyone seen the amount of cars streaming and spilling out to the main roads from RGPS, MGS -thereby causing traffic - this also happens during lunctime) Driving just this short distance alone (given now that there are major construction in this arterial road), it takes up a good 30 mins.

[Imsoobusy]

Lyddon:

Imsoobusy:

How about the cost of transport, ESP to those that struggle mthly. Is additional cost and school bus are not cheap these days. Unless gov is giving those lower income families free transport for the kids, or special package.

I did not come from a well off family. My father fetch me to school (abt 3km) on his rusty old ah pek bike. When i got older, I got my own secondhand bike. cycling time to school 25mins. Go figure how much is a budget 2ndhand bike now.

Not everyone is that lucky, I can cycle to bring my boy to sch but there's not way I can ask my mum of 70 age to fetch and cycle my boy home everyday as I am working daily from 7am to 7pm and sometimes ot. Need to spare a thot for those really in need of money.

[Lyddon]

phtthp:

janet_lee88,


when you were a child donkey years back and your school needed funds urgently back then to build more classrooms, better teaching / sports facilities, need $ urgently to conduct certain educational programmes that can benefit the entire school cohorot, who were the people that funded all these ? Back then, it was the 2A1 folks, from that past generation! Didn't you receive the benefit too, when you were a child once upon a time studying in your alma mater?

likewise your P2 daughter now studying at CHIJ Toa Payoh or your son studying in Pei Hwa all these 6 years, who were the people pumping in funds to support ongoing current beneficial school going activities ? sometimes when school funds run miserably low, can't do anything like everything got stuck can't move forward, who does the school call upon to chip in funds, so that the whole engine turbine can rotate forward, get things done ? Is from the 2A1 alumni, from this current generation !

for every single penny that's been collected painstakingly, the 2A1 alumni constantly brainstorm, come together hold meetings, constantly crack head - now, we've invested so many pennies. How to invest each penny collected to the best optimal use, in which kind of activity, so that all kids in the school benefit ? We draw up proposal plans, vetted and approved by school principal. At the end of every 3 to 6 months, we hold alumni meeting, report to school, report to all alumni members - checklist how each single penny has been well spent. So, aren't your 2 kids currently now at CHIJ TPY and Pei Hwa, receving such benefit now?

whether you support 2A1 or 2A2, we belong to the same family (2A)!
you look at your palm. The front of your palm is 2A1, the back of your palm is 2A2. But is the same palm, isn't it ?

so why do you keep persecuting the 2A1 alumni?

Kudos to that!
And what about the many medals, accolades and non-financial contributions that ex-students has given to their alma mater - that made the school what it is today? ... that made the school over-subscribed.

Remove Phase 2A, and it sets a precedence that :
1) alumni contributions are of no significance and unappreciated.
2) no reason to develop a sense of \"school-spirit\" and encourage contributions from the current cohort of students. (since it will not be recognised and appreciated, anyway).

[laughingcat]

jedamum:

Lyddon:

With our world-class transportation system, how much time does it take to travel 2km or 4km? There are primary schools near home above 2km but less than 4km. It takes me 10mins drive and less than 20 mins public bus to get to either school. Within a radius of 5km, Dist ance is really not a big deal.

distance is not a big deal to those who got into their choice of sch that is further away.
distance is a big deal to those who cannot get into their choice of sch that is at their backyard and have to travel further for their second choice sch (until they are sold on the programme/curriculum by their second choice sch, it will remain eye sore to see other kids but their own kids walk to their choice sch).

Ah! We are talking about eyes sore here. But really ah.....one can never control these group as it is never ending. Constant comparing only will only force one up to the wall.

[Power Puff]

I agree with laughing cat and mrswongtuition’s posts. For the many reasons already mentioned, alumni will obviously stay. I don’t know how GRLs actually contribute directly to the school to warrant them priority. GRLs and community leaders should not even be at the same priority level as alumni. I suspect the Ministry may also phase out the PV scheme (to be effective after the 2014/15 registration) since it’s ambiguous and several schools have already abolished it anyway, and give parents under 2B more priority based on distance between school and home.


For parents who are unhappy about sleeping alumni members, please remember these pupils have directly contributed to their school while they were studying there. You do not and cannot expect all alumni members to actively contribute to that same primary school for the rest of their lives as they also attend sec, post sec and uni, find jobs, get married, have children and other commitments? Choosing to send their kids back to the very same primary school is also another form of contribution. And it is true that despite the hiccups here and there, our public transportation system has improved. In the 70s and 80s, we didn’t have MRT, LRT. We had to rely on public bus and for the more fortunate ones, school bus or private transport.

We should focus more on how to make the P1 registration system Phases 2B and 2C better by giving more priority according to distance, while leaving the siblings and alumni phases with the same top priority. Pupils of ex-siblings should be in the same phase as pupils of current siblings, in line with govt’s efforts at encouraging procreation. To a smaller extent, MOE will also need to address the issue of priority given to SG citizens vs PRs. There’s just so much resentment about Singaporeans being made to feel 2nd class citizens, as witnessed during the elections. Even if the citizenship priority is not addressed, then giving priority based on distance itself will be a good change and welcomed by many parents who have more than 1 child.

[laughingcat]

vicki:

*wondering out loud*


Wonder perhaps if the govt build more primary schools near catchment areas which has alot of houses/ flats but insufficient spaces (I can only thk Jurong area offhand now) - would it solve the prob of no school 'near' my hse'?

Or maybe it will not solve anythg cos 'i still can't get into the 'popular' school near my hse'....

EXACTLY! people are crying foul is because they can't get into the GOOD school of their choice not because it is nearby.

[laughingcat]

limlim:

laughingcat:

[quote=\"dorisp\"]


\"Connection\" vs \"distance\".

As stated by the Ministry, connection is more important as it foster bonding between the community and the school.

If you're talking about active members.. ok.. it is valid.

As for sleeping members, I'll throw that argument out of the window.

hence, Alumni priority shd be subjected to strict evaluation/approval process..

And NOT blanket priority for sleeping members to benefit.[/quote]Whether an alumni sleeps or not still an alumni. No difference except one closes eyes.