BISHAN NORTH ESTATE (Building of primary school)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Encik Ibrahim bin Othman asked the Minister for Education whether his Ministry has plans to build a primary school in Bishan North Estate and, if so, when will it be completed.

The Minister of State for Education (Encik Sidek bin Saniff) (for the Minister for Education): Sir, I am answering on behalf of my Minister.

The Catholic High Primary School will be relocated to Bishan North Estate when its premises are completed in the middle of this year. There will be three other primary schools serving Bishan New Town by 1993. As enough places will be provided for the residents, the Ministry of Education has no immediate plans to build another primary school there.

Encik Ibrahim bin Othman (Thomson GRC): Sir, is the Minister of State aware of the difficulties of parents without connection with Catholic High Primary School to send their children there during the Primary 1 exercise and, if so, would the Ministry of Education consider modifying or changing the entry for children whose parents have no connection with the school but are living within walking distance to the school?

Encik Sidek bin Saniff: Sir, as far as possible, it is the policy of the Ministry to ensure that the schools are near to the residents. But, as Bishan is concerned, there are Ai Tong, Kuo Chuan as well as Guangyang Primary Schools. They may be slightly further away but they are within the vicinity.