pirated:

aiya, year in year out, the same argument


if they get their choice, world peace

if they don't get their choice, everything else is not fair

it will only be fair when they are accorded top priority in whatever deemed top primary school and must be at their door step

Indeed!

Its a zero sum game. There is only a fixed number of seats available in a popular school. Those that get in will be happy while the rest will be upset. Some have an easy access to get in (connection), some work hard to get connection, some even 'buy' better access (move nearer), others will try their luck even if the odds are low. Nonetheless only a fixed number of applicants can be successful.

Its a mind boggling annual event for parents.

It will be interesting what MOE will come out with after talking for a year. The feedback from the national conversation comes to a conclusion. The preaching of all schools are good and there enough P1 places for all isn't convincing enough. If all schools are also good why are not so popular schools under populated? Our schools are not homogenious. Maybe are our MP, VP and P of schools, etc. should lead by example and show everyone these not so popular schools are good by sending their kids there.

est1892:

There is a lot of foreigners and PR's paying a lot more taxes than SC. So what makes SC more entitled? NS? in which case only the boys should have the extra privileged then since women don't do NS.

Simply because PR & foreigners are not SC.

They don't get priority in P1 registration in our public schools but it is not to say they can't join the schools. Many do come in at various points at different levels even at our popular schools.

Similarly ...

They also don't get access to public housing (PR have the opportunity to resale HDB with conditions). They don't get the subsidies like SC. They are welcome to purchase private housing.

They also don't get access to public healthcare in terms of subsidies. They can get services & treatment at our public hospitals but just not subsidised rates. There are plenty of good private hospitals that will welcome them as well.

Other government social services are primarily for SC and has little accessibility to others.

What are they expectation of this group that are not SC? Are they expecting they same opportunities and access to public services as SC in Singapore?

So why discriminate against PRs or foreign kids in our popular schools?


Oh wait! :idea: I know!

Because it's easy to make them the target for all our ills.....[/quote]

I do respect your thoughts on this and would agree with you on this.

Simply because they are not SC.

As PR and foriegners they certainly cannot be expecting what SC have access to, be it public housing, public healthcare, education in our public schools, etc. If they want the same then become SC.

On top of that the government has realized that it has obligation towards SC over PR or foreigners, hence the the tweak giving SC absolute priority.

I think Singapore welcome diversity and this group have options for their kids' education. Plenty of international schools are available as well.

pirate:

lil_jade:

Agree that ensuring all SC get in before PR is really the best way!


Cos even those SC who tried and can't get into first choice schools like MGS during phase 2C won't be so absolutely depressed when it comes to phase 2CS if other schools like Marymount Convent still has space! The situation now is that the PR have taken many of the places at phase 2C at Marymount Convent, leaving SC to battle it out for the remaining at phase 2CS..

In that way, yes, the PR will be further discriminated (my apologies) but all SC are still treated in as best a way possible!

And then we will end up with a bunch of inward looking SC kids in all the 'elite' schools... How nice.

Why are SC kids inward looking?

In this connected world today, I think kids today are not quite like their parents. Singaporeans are also well travelled and definately kids today are experiencing alot more than we did when we were growing up. Kids are embracing different cultures more than before today.

I'm sure there will be nationalized SC kids among them as well. Over the course of their education in Singapore, there will be opportunities for SC kids to have classmates/schoolmates from different nationalities. Asean scholars join our schools at different points is an example. From primary to secondary to junior college (polytechnic) to university, plenty of opportunities to study together, work together, have fun together, etc. with kids of different cultures and nationalities.

Thoughts? .... Please feel free to comment and include your views.

phtthp:

50% low, 70% high, so maybe somewhere in between, that is reasonable & acceptable. Not like Henry park left 5 miserable seats.


Who knows, changes may not just impact phase 2a alone.
do you think it may also impact phase 1 (remove pr kids), or impact 2b (Grl + pv) ?

Because once cap 2a alumni, many will be unhappy.
Become 2a turn to make noise to moe, write in to straits times, that 2b also need to tweak. Because Grl not contributing any direct, conscientious effort to any school in particular, which is a fact. So, Grl should be taken out too.

To make it equitable, if after Phase 1, the balance of seats can be divided equally into 3 buckets (2A, 2B & 2C). Each group will then have a cap. I just wish its along this line. I'm sure there are other opinions on how 2A can be capped. The aim has to be allocating 2B & 2C with more seats from 2A. I will imagine that with this taking effect, 2A applicants will also get into a balloting situation like all subsequent phases.

2A applicants may have their say but it's time this group realizes that they don't have a sure thing all the time.

Let's see how things pan out on Sunday.

phtthp:

toddles:

Wow news just reported GPC education chairman lim biow chuan said there might be changes to cap 2A1 and 2A2. Together with PSLE changes.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/psle-could-move-away-from/777972.html

Thanks for providing the link.

Awesome!

If this is the prelude, then I'm sure there will be a loud cheer at the ITE auditorium when PM officially delivers this piece of news at the NDR.

I do hope this change will be effective immediately so that the next batch of applicants can reap benefits from it.

Finally something is being done after so many years of having to accept this wrong. So many before has endured this skewed system with heartaches. I guess we have adapted to it long enough.

Absolutely cool piece of news indeed.

charlotte_momo:

3Boys:

[quote=\"phtthp\"]Think most likely, pap will time it such that they will announce the new policy changes (if any), in time for general election. (strategy trick - give people a \"sweetener\")

In what way is Phase 2A cap a sweetener? It may be the right thing to do, but I don't see how it will win them any votes overall.

they cant please everyone. but if they dun do something, alot of ppl will continue to be unhappy abt it.[/quote]No punt intended....

There hasn't been major change to the P1 registration in years. The last tweak was SC have absolute priority 2-3 years ago. Over the years, this skewed system affected so many parents and the problem is obviously not new. There has been complaints of unfairness, not being inclusive, outcries to MP, issue raised in parliment, etc. Yet nothing has been done to address this.

Latest response we hear is every school is a good school and there are enough P1 places for everyone. I can only be hopeful that this time, changes for the better will be happening for real. Maybe nothing will be announced and we get disappointed. Or maybe it's about the education system making it less stressful for young children.

We may probably have to wait till we see a situation at a popular school shutting out applicants from 2B onwards (i.e. all seats taken up at Phases 1 and 2A) before something is done.

Regardless, the NDR is just days away, let's hope for the best.

charlotte_momo:

Cna mentioned there will be a cap in phrases for primary 1 registration. More details on this Sunday's ndr. Gonna be an interesting rally.

if changes are happening, then it will probably affect the next/future batches of parents.

i do hope that that changes will make the system fairer (remove 2A or have a cap on 2A) so that its more inclusive.

the new system shouldn't encourage in-breeding or promote elitism.

as it is the current system is almost closing their doors to outsiders, by the time it reaches 2B & 2C less than 1 class (30 seats) is left for balloting. it is really ridiculious that applicants staying close gets balloted out or are afraid to even try to ballot. whoever thought of this skewed system is clearly not being inclusive.

my 2 cents ....

good point raised …


it will be interesting to know which primary school the children of our ministers and MP, P of primary school, went/go to …

maybe they are walking the talk?

wow … drama in the making perhaps.


i would suggest you check and make sure you get the facts right first.