PRIMARY 1 REGISTRATION EXERCISE

PRIMARY 1 REGISTRATION EXERCISE: 2.

Er Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Education in the recent Primary 1 Registration Exercise (a) how many schools have to conduct balloting in Phase 2C of the admission exercise; (b) how many children gained admission to the school of their choice through (i) the parent volunteer scheme; and (ii) their parents' donation to the school; and (c) whether the Ministry has any plan to fine-tune the current system such as giving priority to those who live within 500 metres of the school.

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The Senior Minister of State for Education (Mr S Iswaran) (for the Minister for Education): First, let me assure the Member and, indeed, the House, that MOE provides sufficient school places in Primary 1 to take in all students and applications in a given year. There are in fact surplus places at the end of every Primary 1 Registration Exercise. Nevertheless, for popular schools which will always have more applications than places available, balloting is a fair means to determine admissions. The balloting situation this year is comparable to last year when MOE began the process of transition for primary schools to single sessions. Eighty schools or 45% of our primary schools conducted balloting in Phase 2C this year.

The Member asked for the number of admissions in priority schemes before Phase 2C. The Primary 1 registration framework has very clear criteria which set out the priority for admissions. Donations by parents are not a consideration. Those admitted under the parent volunteer scheme in Phase 2B took up only 3% of all places available, or 1,337 places, spread across 77 schools. Overall, in this year’s exercise, over 98% of the children secured a Primary 1 place in their first-choice school or a school within two kilometres of their home. MOE, therefore, has no plans to alter the current registration framework which has worked well to meet the diverse needs of the schools and the applicants.

Er Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio): Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State: for those who get in under Phase 2B through volunteer work, is there a minimum number of hours of voluntary work that has to be done?

Mr Iswaran: Mr Speaker, Sir, this judgment is actually left to the schools to make. The reason is simple: it is not just a matter of clocking hours. It is the kind

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and the value of the contribution that a parent volunteer brings. A mere measurement of the number of hours by itself may not be an accurate indicator of what they bring to the school and can contribute. We leave it to the schools. If we talk to the principals and the heads of departments, they have very systematic processes, they interview the parents and judge what the volunteers can bring to the school and how that complements the school's plans. That is the basis on which they make the decisions.

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang (Aljunied): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Senior Minister of State says the current system is working well. May I ask whether he is aware that, for example, some who live in the flats immediately next to the school are not able to get into the school that they prefer, and end up having to travel more than two kilometres?

Mr Iswaran: Mr Speaker, Sir, as I said, in the system we have today, we have priority accorded across the different phases according to criteria. Within each phase, if there is an excess of places available, then admissions are based on proximity to the school. That proximity is tiered. In the first instance, those within a one-kilometre radius are accorded priority. If that is exhausted and there are still places available, then those between a one- and two-kilometre radius are given the option. If there are more applications than places, then there will be balloting. Beyond that, admission will be for those in the three-kilometre radius and further. That is a system that is fair. To guarantee someone who lives across from the school that he will definitely get admission to that school would unnecessarily constrain the system, because, really, a one-kilometre radius accords sufficient priority for the purpose of proximity to the school.

Mr Speaker: Er Lee Bee Wah, last question.

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Er Lee Bee Wah: Thank you, Sir. For those schools that consistently see appeals from parents who live near the school – less than half a kilometre – will MOE consider additional criteria? That means, for the first tier, it would be less than half a kilometre.

Mr Iswaran: Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the Member is rephrasing the question that was asked earlier. In effect, the answer is the same. Basically, if you live within 500 metres of a school, it means you live within a one-kilometre radius of the school. Therefore, you are already accorded priority. To further fine-tune this may not necessarily result in outcomes that are good for the school or the community at large.