GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS (Admission and non-admission figures)

Mr John Ede asked the Minister for Education (i) how many new students were admitted to Government primary schools at the beginning of the present school year; (ii) how many students of the age of 7 years who applied were admitted and how many were refused admission; and (iii) how many students of the age of 6 years were admitted.

Mr Chew Swee Kee: To the first part of the question, Sir, the number admitted at the beginning of the year was 15,553.

To the second part of the question, all the seven-year old children of parents residing in Singapore, for whom application for admission to Government primary schools was made to the Ministry of Education, have been found places. Without further reference to schools, it is not possible to state how many seven-year old children from outside Singapore were admitted and how many refused. This information will be supplied as soon as it is available.

To the third part of the question, Sir, it will be necessary to call for returns from schools as to the number of six-year old children who were admitted. This information will also be supplied as soon as it is available.