Parliamentary Replies
Primary One Registration Priority for Families with 3 Children or More
Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Er Lee Bee Wah, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC
Question
To ask the Minister for Education in light of the Government’s call for families to have more children, whether the Ministry will review its existing policy on Primary 1 registration to give priority to those with three children or more as an incentive for parents.
Response
Up to the late 1980s, priority admissions into schools for Primary One (P1) were used to support population policies. Following a review, the Government decided in 1992 to de-link P1 registration from population policies, even if they were an effective measure.
Primary school admissions should be guided by educational goals, wherever possible. Proximity to home is a key criteria for admission so that a young child does not have to travel a long distance to go to school. Having siblings studying in the same school is another criteria as this is convenient for parents; allows the older sibling to help the younger child and builds schools ties. We give priority to key stakeholders, such as children of old boys or girls, members of school advisory committees and parent volunteers as it strengthens community and parental support for the schools.
The current scheme reflects a careful balance of the various factors that serve the educational interest of the child and the school.