REGISTRATION SYSTEM FOR ADMISSION TO PRE-PRIMARY AND PRIMARY I CLASSES IN 1986 (Statement by the Minister for Trade and Industry and Minister for Education)

12.02 pm

Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in the debate on the estimates of the Ministry of Education on 25th March 1985, I informed Members that I would recommend to Cabinet that the priority scheme for graduate mothers for Pre-Primary and Primary 1 registration should be abolished and the guidelines for this year's Pre-Primary and Primary 1 Registration exercise be modelled along the lines of the 1982 guidelines which, in my opinion, are the fairest and the most satisfactory.

I am happy to inform Members that Cabinet has accepted my recommendation, Subject to past Government commitments, the Ministry of Education will use the 1982 system to register children for admission to Pre-Primary and Primary I classes in 1986. This system is set out in Annex I (Cols. 95 - 96) which, with your permission, Sir, I will now ask the Clerk to distribute to Members. [Copies of document distributed to Members.] The actual dates for the various phases of the registration exercise will be announced by the Ministry of Education early next month. Annex I - PRE-PRIMARY AND PRIMARY I REGISTRATION EXERCISE 1985 (Cols. 95 - 96)

The reason why I consider the 1982 system to be the fairest and the most satisfactory is because this system gives priority to the interest of the child. For example, the desirability of having siblings studying in the same school is recognized by giving such children top priority under Phase 1. The importance of preserving alma mater or religious ties is catered for under Phase IIA and Phase IIB. The remaining phases follow exactly the criteria used in the 1982 registration scheme.

Sir, in my speech of 25th March, I stated that commitments made by the Government in previous registration exercises should be honoured. In my view, this is only fair. You cannot change the rules when the runner is half-way through the race.

Children of graduate mothers who gave birth to their second or subsequent child will therefore not lose the priority (Phase 1) they enjoyed in the 1984 scheme provided that the second or subsequent child was conceived between the 24th January 1984 (the date of announcement of the 1984 registration scheme) and today's date, the 14th May 1985. Giving an allowance of one month for pre-mature deliveries and one month for late deliveries, the second or subsequent child would be born between the 24th September 1984 and the 14th March 1986 (both dates inclusive).

Similarly, children from three-child families where one of the parents has at least one 'A' level pass or the equivalent will qualify for Phase llA provided that the third child is born between the 24th September 1984 and the 14th March 1986 (both dates inclusive).

Children from 2-child or 3-child families where one of the parents has at least 3 'O' level passes (obtained at one sitting) or the equivalent will qualify for Phase IIB provided again that the second or third child is born between the 24th September 1984 and the 14th March 1986 (both dates inclusive).

As regards sterilization cases, Government will also honour its 1984 commitment so that children from families where one of the parents has been sterilized on or before the 24th January 1984 after the birth of the first or second child, will qualify for registration under Phase IIA. As in the 1984 scheme, if the parent was sterilized after the 24th January 1984 after the birth of the first or second child, then the child will qualify for Phase IIA only if both parents do not have any 'O' level pass.

The estimated numbers of children who will be involved in each phase are shown in Annex II (Cols. 97 - 98), which is already with Members. Annex II - ESTIMATED NUMBERS FOR THE PROPOSED 1985 REGISTRATION SCHEME (Cols. 97 - 98)

Sir, the 1985 Registration Scheme is not perfect. Nor is it as neat and as tidy as I would have liked. But I believe that Government has a duty to be fair, not only to present and future generations of parents and children but also to those children whose parents have undertaken action as a result of announced Government policies. In framing the 1985 Registration Scheme, my officials and I in the Ministry of Education have endeavoured to keep the interest of the child in the forefront and to discharge our duty as fairly as we can.

Dr Aline K. Wong (Changkat): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, a question for the Minister. Can the Minister assure the House that every child who is eligible for a Primary 1 registration will have a place eventually?

Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, as Members will see from Annex 11, there will be an estimated 41,100 children who will be eligible to register for Pre-Primary and Primary 1 classes in 1986. There are slightly over 42,000 places available. So every child who is eligible to register for Primary 1 in 1986 is assured of a place.

Mr Bernard Chen (Clementi): Sir, can I ask the Minister whether a child who stays near a school will be given a higher priority for registration?

Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam: Sir, the answer is yes. If the number of applications in any phase exceeds the number of places, then priority will be given to those children whose homes lie within two kilometres of his school of choice.

Dr Ow Chin Hock (Leng Kee): Sir, may I ask the Minister what is the essential difference between the 1982 and 1983 registration schemes?

Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam: Sir, the difference is a very small one, but a very significant one, In the 1983 scheme, priority under Phase 1, Phase IIA and Phase IIB for siblings or for children whose parents are connected with the school is given only up to the second child. In the 1982 scheme this priority is also given to the third child and I think that it is more desirable.