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The number of reserved seats for incoming students under Phase 2C of Primary 1 registration would increase from 20 to 40 starting next year (MOE).
From next year, Phases 2A1 and 2A2 will be merged into a single phase. Children whose parents are graduates of the school or members of the advisory or management committee are eligible for Phase 2A1.
Phase 2A2 is for youngsters whose siblings went to that school or whose parents worked or went to that school. Children enrolled in MOE Kindergartens that fall under the school’s jurisdiction are also eligible to register during this period.
In contrast, Phase 2C is for children who live closest to the school but do not have any ties to it, such as a parent who is an alumni.
The Ministry of Education said in March that it will examine the Primary 1 registration structure in order to assist more students obtain a seat in Phase 2C that was near to their home.
“This is in the child’s educational interest, to help them reduce their time traveling and have more time to explore other hobbies, as well as for the family’s convenience,” MOE stated in a statement cited by TODAY.
Revisement of Phase 2C
In recent years, competition under Phase 2C has been more intense, according to the government.
In Phase 2C, around one-third of schools balloted for Singaporeans residing within one kilometer of a school, up from one-fourth of schools seven years earlier.
The most recent adjustment is likely to help students applying to 32 of the 64 primary schools in the category that were balloted this year.
These 32 schools, which accounted for slightly less than 20% of all schools at the start of Phase 2C, had 40 or fewer seats. Due to the school’s popularity and reputation as a preferred option, competition for a place at these institutions is likely to be intense.
According to Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, the government has observed a decrease in the number of children enrolling in a school near to their homes but with which they have no connection in recent years.
He thinks that a balance must be struck between offering convenience for students and their families while still fostering a solid school community.
“It’s not simple to find the right balance, and there’s no such thing as a perfect equilibrium. However, we think it is necessary to take another step toward ensuring that our schools remain accessible to a broad profile of students,” he said on Facebook.
There will still be 20 reserved spots in Phase 2B, which is for children of parent volunteers or parents approved by a clan or religion affiliated with the school.
Phase 2B will get a third of the remaining vacancies at the conclusion of Phase 2A2, while Phase 2C will receive the other two-thirds.
Because of the increase in reserved seats for Phase 2C, there may be fewer places available in earlier stages.
“If we continue to differentiate priority between Phase 2A1 and Phase 2A2 registrants, we anticipate that many schools will have very few, if any, seats remaining for Phase 2A2 registrants,” stated MOE.
By combining the two stages, individuals who apply under Phase 2A2 will have the opportunity to register under Phase 2A. The merger will also help achieve the goal of providing MOE Kindergarten students preferential admission.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education said that it would change how it calculates the “home-school distance,” or whether a family is within 1km or 2km of a primary school.
Even if the school building plan has considerably altered over the years, the distance is currently computed from a single reference point based on the original building layout of the school to the registrant’s address.
The home-school distance will be determined based on the school property border to the registrant’s house starting next year.
While the move may result in a “slightly greater” coverage of home addresses within 1 and 2 kilometers of elementary schools, the Ministry of Education does not anticipate it to affect most registrants.
A Look at P1 Registration System Changes Case Study
