ETHNIC CEILINGS FOR ADMISSION TO PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Education if he will consider introducing ethnic ceilings for admission to primary schools to promote inter-racial interaction and understanding.

The Minister for Education (Mr Lee Yock Suan): Mr Speaker, Sir, there is already a ceiling of 25% on the intake of Malay pupils into any primary school. This arose out of a proposal from the Malay Members of Parliament in 1987 to my Ministry to limit the intake of Malay pupils into a primary school. They had observed that Malay pupils from schools with a high proportion of Malays tended to mix among themselves and speak Malay only. As a result, their English language proficiency suffered and this affected their academic performance. By limiting the intake of Malay pupils to 25%, Malay pupils would be encouraged to mix more freely with pupils of other races and speak more English. However, this limit is applied flexibly in locations where the Malay population is high so that pupils do not have to travel too far to school.

There has been no necessity to apply a similar ceiling on the proportion of other pupils in schools.

1.30 pm

Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question time.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No. 21(3), Questions Nos. 17, 18 & 23 have been postponed to the next available sitting of Parliament. Written answers to Questions Nos. 19-22 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the section, 'Oral Answers to Questions Not Reached' (Cols. 465 - 468).]