PRIMARY SCHOOL ENROLMENT OF CHILDREN NEAR THEIR HOMES

Mr P. Selvadurai asked the Minister for Education if he will take steps that will result in primary school children not being enrolled in schools many miles away from the areas in which they live.

The Minister for Education (Mr Ong Pang Boon): Mr Speaker, Sir, during the registration exercise carried out in July this year, a total of 55,526 children were'-registered for admission to Primary I in 1969. Of this number, 51,242 or 92.3 per cent of these children will be admitted to schools of their parents' choice and only 4,284 or 7.7 per cent need be posted to schools other than of their parents' choice, because such children were registered in excess of the maximum intake of the schools con cerned. All the 4,284 children registered in excess have already been posted to schools which have vacancies near their homes.