Extra ballot for children of Singapore citizens to apply for places in primary schools
Written by Our Correspondent
In another sign that elections will be called anytime soon next year, the ruling party has allocated one additional ballot for Singaporeans to apply for places in primary schools for their children to “sweeten” the ground.
The new rule will take effect from 2010. As of now, Signaporeans and PRs both have one chance to ballot which had caused considerable unhappiness among some Singapore citizens whose children are unable to get into the primary school of their choice.
Balloting is done when the number of applications is more than the available vacancies. In popular schools, Singapore citizens often have to compete with PRs for a place which led many to vent their frustration on the government for not looking after the interests of citizens first.
The issue sparked an outcry in August this year when a Mr Eduard Tay wrote in to the Straits Times Forum complaining about his son’s unsuccessful application for a place in a neighborhood school as he has to vie with children registered under Phase 1A, 2A1, 2A2, 2B and first-generation permanent residents’ (PRs) children under Phase 2C.
His letter prompted an almost immediate response from an Indian PR Mrs Sweta Agarwal who justified the equal chance given to PRs because they “pay taxes and abide by Singapore’s laws”. She also issued a veiled threat that PRs may consider leaving Singapore if their children cannot get into the schools of their choice.
Mrs Agarwal’s insensitive letter triggered a massive furore among Singaporeans. Mr Jimmy Loke replied a day letter castigating Mrs Agarwal for not taking up citizenship after a lengthy six years as a PR.
“Mrs Agarwal has the option of returning to her country to find a good school for her daughter. Mr Tay’s child does not enjoy that luxury. As a Singaporean, Mr Tay served national service for 21/2 years and spent 13 more years as a reservist. Should any government not take care of its citizens first?”, he added.
The deluge of letters published in the Straits Times Forum showed that the equal chance enjoyed by PRs in primary school application is becoming a point of contention among Singaporeans, especially those from the middle class.
Besides having two chances to ballot, school fees for PRs and foreign students will also be increased by between $36.50 and $73 per month and between $100 and $400 per month respectively from 2011, while school fees for Singaporeans will remain unchanged.
According to the state media, “these changes were announced by Minister of Education Ng Eng Hen on Sunday during a community visit and is part of the Government’s move to sharpen differentiation between Singaporeans and non-citizens.”
With more and more foreigners and PRs working and living in Singapore, the additional ballot does not increase the chances of Singaporeans getting their children into a preferred school since they now have to compete with a larger pool of applicants.
Furthermore, the token increase in school fees is of scant consolation to Singaporeans since foreigners and PRs who are able to enrol their children in Singapore schools should be pretty well to do in the first place.
Despite widespread resentment and anger at the ruling party’s pro-foreigner policy, it continues to insist that immigration is “essential” for Singapore.
In a recent speech, MM Lee Kuan Yew ticked off Japanese leaders publicly for not “adopting” Singapore’s open-door policy to replenish its declining population via immigration.
Unless the ruling party makes wholesale changes to its current policy and limit the influx of foreigners into Singapore, even two or three ballots may not be sufficient for Singaporeans in the future.
Related articles:
>> Sweta Agarwal proud to be Indian citizen and Singapore PR at the same time
>> PRs get equal chance in Primary 1 registration
>> MM Lee defends need for foreign talent
>> PRC student supports government’s plan for more foreign scholars
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wat? on Sun, 20th Dec 2009 7:27 pm
another candy! woohoo!
stan on Sun, 20th Dec 2009 7:55 pm
this is what we call the carrot hanging from the tree that lures you into voting for them……. it’s been so many years.. now then shove out this deal ah… a little too late lar… see ur red underwear until dont want to see already…
rabblerouser on Sun, 20th Dec 2009 8:33 pm
I am just wondering if that carrot had to be dangled in the 1st place. A reaction to a failed policy perhaps?
THE BIG EYE on Sun, 20th Dec 2009 8:43 pm
oo… PAP finally realizing the young S’poreans are fucking pissed with the foreigners and might just kick them out of power within the next decade. But by doing this, they’re just plainly insulting our intelligence.
Money happens to be the least of their problems. Raising the bar by a few bucks ain’t gonna stop em from coming. You wanna make a real deal?
Until all S’poreans get their places, foreigners can’t enter. Applies across the board from primary to university. Else we don’t see any need to keep a government that does not work for the people’s benefit, contrary to the name “Peoples Action Party”–one that takes action AGAINST the people.
dt on Sun, 20th Dec 2009 9:05 pm
Mr Jimmy Loke replied a day letter castigating Mrs Agarwal for not taking up citizenship after a lengthy six years as a PR.
i think it should be “a day later”. just fyi for admin.
songsonggaojurong on Sun, 20th Dec 2009 9:47 pm
You guys are looking the wrong way. With these sweeteners, always look at it from the other side. Rather than protect the citizens which they will claim, it is used to entice more PRs to take on citizenship.
janetnt on Sun, 20th Dec 2009 9:50 pm
since foreigners and PRs who are able to enrol their children in Singapore schools should be pretty well to do in the first place.
this statement is false and misleading, i remember in my sec sch days, i had classmate who won torn clothing and father is a carpenter. He was at that point of time a PR. He finished top of the school and is now a singaporean citizen.
Not all PR are rich.
Yamasam on Sun, 20th Dec 2009 10:09 pm
First they screw you hoping that you don’t realise it.
When it finally dawn on you that you are being screwed big time, they throw in some KY just to make it less painful. But you are still getting screwed.
If they are serious in giving priority to Singaporean, cap the number of places for PRs and foreigners to say 10%. If there are more applicants than number of places available, then PRs/foreigners will ballot for the 10% places among themselves while Singaporean will ballot for the 90% among Singaporeans.
We can still achieve the goal of having foreigners among our student population for whatever benefits as touted by the govt.
James on Sun, 20th Dec 2009 10:43 pm
Is this really the best our (PAP) government can provide for Singaporeans? I don’t think so.
How big is this “P1 registration” problem to the every-other Singaporean?
The every-other Singaporean in his 40s is probably jobless because unregulated cheap labour have stolen his job or made him cheaper (and working harder to die FASTER, BETTER for govt can import more cheap labour), barely surviving every month but not enough to save up for retirement. Nevermind retirement; when he is worked to death there is no need for retirement. These ministers need to share their wealth with the people. The every-other Singaporean cannot be suffering at the expense of making millionaire ministers!
On the other hand there are the ones who have just come out to work or just got married. Straight away they get into a 300-400k debt. The last thing on their minds is having a baby – even more costs to take care of! Why not calculate the money benefit derived from importing cheap labour and use it to really take care of the next generation of Singaporeans (like a monthly payout, paying for all the costs of pregancy care all the way to giving birth… or something!)? Then people would be more willing to procreate and the population growth can recover using true blue Singaporeans? If this goes on and locals are not willing to have babies, this P1 registration thingy is a joke just like the baby bonus scheme. Taking care of a child is a 20+ year (or lifetime) commitment – a single payout won’t help a lot. And the ones that are single are more likely to be single because getting married and having children becomes such a big money headache.
Hello LKY and MBT. If you release one BTO project every month and open the floodgates at the same time, Singaporeans still suffer because the housing price will never come down. And doing it suddenly is very fake; people can see you are trying to save your asses. It should have been done earlier! Affordable housing? 100k 3-room flats open to every single Singaporean regardless of single/married & income is a good start to being affordable. Let people get a small house first and if they think it is good to have a larger family then naturally they’ll get a larger house. No need to tie them down with a 300k debt at the start.
If this PAP government does not want really to share the wealth spinned by the slogging of true blue Singaporeans. It is ok, Singaporeans can leave. You know – just uproot and leave! Our forefathers are immigrants to start off with. They moved here to provide their next generation with a better place because conditions at home were screwed up. Now if we are unable to vote in a government that can make things right for Singaporeans, then it is time to leave. It is nothing wrong. Don’t bother “stayers” that look down on you and say you are “giving up”, you are merely seeking a better life just like what all our forefathers did before.
Chiiies on Mon, 21st Dec 2009 2:04 am
Instead of dealing issues that really concern Singaporean i.e. high cost of living and congested living place due to large influx of foreigner, the government just wayang on the primary school registration which is definitely not a concern to many Singaporean. This type of turn deaf attitude toward real issues really piss Singaporean off ! LHL is really an incompetent PM who only knows how to burn onion and chillies from prevent the rain from coming down.
cat on Mon, 21st Dec 2009 5:13 am
Also, how do we know if one more ballot is enough?
ideaquest on Mon, 21st Dec 2009 6:32 am
There is nothing preventing them from revising the fees again after the elections … citing comparable and competitive market rates.
The Big Eye on Mon, 21st Dec 2009 8:32 am
To PAP, if you think the young generation poses little threat to you, try this — my parents won’t vote for PAP, cause I’ll kick them outta the tiny overpriced HDB if they do. Everyone should do the same.
MenInBlue on Mon, 21st Dec 2009 10:07 am
Let me learn to ‘predict’ as like the old ‘Great One’….
“Increase of fees for citizens after GE” (to match that of PR)
Lets see if this prediction comes true in 2011 then…
blackfeline on Mon, 21st Dec 2009 11:23 am
as usual…moron singaporeans will bite the bait…mark my word!
jolly on Mon, 21st Dec 2009 12:38 pm
it is very unfortunate that local singaporeans have to bear with all the distress causd by the bad management of the minister in charge. after taken and still taking hefty salaries, can he not realise the grievance that he is dishing out to his fellow citizen. it must be stressed that they are put in place by the people to look after the welfare of the people and not foreigners first. this Pri 1 registration exercise is all cosmetic in nature. and is the govt oblivious to the fact that the foreign talented families are very rich . this is based on the fact found on the ground. they can afford luxeries that many locals could not afford. time for change.
Wizard of Id on Mon, 21st Dec 2009 1:01 pm
Here they go again…. the MIW spin doctors… coming up with a novel world class solution to a problem that they created in the first place. I watched the patronizing attitude of the Minister on television last night and it reminded me of an Emperor throwing scraps of stale bread to his starving subjects. Even after announcing this Great Concession, he was quick to point out that it didn’t mean that PRs are no longer at the same level as citizens in other policy areas. They continue to be favored as much as or even more than citizens. This said of course to appease the potential anger of the PRs who will leave the country if they are so much as as placed lower than citizens. PRs have a way to go about this problem, become citizens! What is so difficult about it?
A ballot is still a ballot. Tell me, how are they going to ensure an even distribution takes place. Why do citizens have to ballot against PRs? Shouldn’t the needs of citizens be met first? What value is there in citizenship?
The Minister and this policy is not really trying to appease and placate the citizens. This policy is designed to attract more PRs to apply for citizenship because the PRs are smarter than you think. They know that there is no value in citizenship because as PRs they have all the benefits without the liabilities of citizenship. Wake up Singaporeans, don’t listen to the hen who talks cock.
Edwin on Mon, 21st Dec 2009 1:32 pm
Is it me or is it really that election are coming soon? I got that feeling yesterday watching the news…Dr Ng Hen Heng commenting on the extra ballot, and then Ms Lim Hwee Hua talking about Singaporean 1st…
Pardon me..if I say elections is within the horizon.
MenInBlue on Mon, 21st Dec 2009 3:48 pm
Let me do another ‘prediction’ as like the old ‘Great One’….
“GE would take place in 2010” (perhaps soon after Budget Day)
Lets see if this prediction comes true in 2010 then…
cy on Mon, 21st Dec 2009 3:53 pm
i won’t say that the jack up in fees are token, but they reported that subsidies are still given to PR’s children except that it is smaller from 2011 onwards.
this shows that pressure on pap is working, but for them to truly reform, we still need real check and balances.
Afterall, pap is like microsoft windows, always crashing but ppl still has to use it, we need linux,chrome (opposition) to counter-balance it.
MenInBlue on Mon, 21st Dec 2009 4:51 pm
@cy
u forgot the mac OSX
Not only to counter-balance it, but to ensure the quality of policies and bills being passed in parliament. Raise GST to help the poor? They must be joking…
Singapolung on Mon, 21st Dec 2009 5:00 pm
Whatttttttttttttt !!!!! The increase only starts in year 2011 !!!!!!!!!! the increase in the fee must be NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!! NOw ! Now ! Now !