New "IN" thing beside the location to help boost property price - Primary school?

[howgozit]

Haha... this reminds me of a funny story.

A neighbour was telling me that her grandchildren will be going to a popular Thai school that her son has tried very hard to enrol them in. When I asked her where was this Thai school, she revealed that it was in Bedok.

I was surprised that there was even a Thai school in Singapore let alone in Bedok (an area I thought I was familiar with)

So I asked her what is the name of the school.. and she said "Red Sawadee-ka"

True story.

St Hilda's, Red Swastika, Yu Neng...

[reporter2]

http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapor...ry_823704.html

PRIMARY 1 SLOTS

Popular schools almost full

Parents gauging impact of new rule giving citizens ballot priority

Published on Jul 19, 2012

By Stacey Chia

POPULAR SCHOOLS

PRIMARY 1 registration is only at the half-way mark, but some schools are almost full up.

At least eight schools are likely to conduct balloting for Phase 2B, which starts today. These include Henry Park Primary School and Methodist Girls' School (Primary), which have only 12 to 28 spots left.

Rulang Primary in Jurong West, which started off with 270 places this month, has only 10 vacancies for this phase.

Phase 2B is for children whose parents are volunteers with the school or members of an affiliated church or clan. Parents who are community leaders can also apply.

This phase - the first which requires balloting - is especially closely watched this year as parents gauge the impact of a new rule that gives Singaporeans priority over permanent residents (PRs).

The Ministry of Education (MOE) said in March that Singaporeans will be given 'absolute priority' over PRs if balloting is needed in any phase of the Primary 1 registration process.

Previously, PRs got one ballot slip - compared to two for Singaporeans - if the school was oversubscribed; the new rule means PRs can ballot for places only after there are no citizens eyeing the same spot.

Earlier phases are for children with older siblings who are studying or have studied at the same school, or whose parents are alumni or staff. Remaining spots are split between Phases 2B and 2C, which are open to all Singaporeans and PRs.

Parents interviewed said that Rulang Primary, though not a typical brand-name school, is one of the most popular schools in Jurong West, after it produced the country's top Primary School Leaving Examination pupil for the first time last year.

Vice-principal Low Min Chye said that given the school's unusual popularity this year, parent volunteers have been offered help in considering other options.

Competition at the usual hot favourites - including Nanyang Primary, Henry Park Primary, Ai Tong School, and Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) - remains stiff.

Henry Park Primary in Mount Sinai Road started out with 300 places but is now down to only 12 for Phase 2B.

Last year, 28 schools conducted balloting for Phase 2B, said an MOE spokesman, who added that resources are continually spent to improve all its schools to make 'every school a good school'.

It is a message parents like executive assistant Lydia Kok, 37, will be glad to hear. She had wanted to send her son to ACS (Primary) under Phase 2B, which she qualifies for because she is a member of the Methodist Church.

But with only 18 spots open, she changed her mind. 'It's quite ridiculous to even attempt. It's common sense, you don't even try,' said Ms Kok, who is looking into other schools to enrol her son.

Some principals said the new rule is unlikely to have a big impact on Phase 2B.

At South View Primary, out of the 10 parent volunteers, only one is a PR, said principal Jenny Yeo. The school has 29 spots left for Phase 2B, which means it is likely the school will have to bring out the ballot box, she said.

For Ms Rachel Lee, 36, a procurement manager and PR from Malaysia, even though she thinks she does not stand a chance in the school of her choice, she is going to try anyway.

Ms Lee declined to name the school as she is the only PR parent volunteer there. She added: 'I've already volunteered, so I don't see any harm trying.'

[email protected]

Additional reporting by Matthias Chew

[Poloclub]

Henry Park Primary in Mount Sinai Road started out with 300 places but is now down to only 12 for Phase 2B

Mr. Tan can forget about Mount Senai liao lah.

[Laguna]

Mr. Tan can forget about Mount Senai liao lah.

Good for his parents, and PIL
and his wife, no need to wait for the scheduled time and bedroom for the business

[carbuncle]

@howgozit muahahahaha!!!! funny

[Wild Falcon]

That's why I say, the 1km tingy has become less and less important in buying decision, because nowadays many only have like 15 places left for Phase 2B (let alone 2C the 1km rule) and need to ballot and probability is so low. What's the point? Imagine buying a place which is not your dream home just to get a chance to get your child in ann elite school and still did't get in. You will be cussing for the rest of your life.

And I always believe, just send a child to any school. for those who think that in primary school, its important to get to know rich people, its not true. Most of the time, the real networking only happens from secondary school onwards. And as long as your child is good, he or she will do reasonably well in PSLE. And I've a friend's child who is in a neighbourhood secondary school, and she is from Nanyang Primary and she told me quite a few of her Nanyang Primary classmates are in neighbourhood secondary schools. Well....

just bring up your child well with the right values and dun be overly concerned with whether they mingle around with rich people and get to know rich people etc when they are so young. It's really sad how materialistic this world is and u have to shove it in a child's face. If you don't have affiliation, its ok.

[phantom_opera]

For sure SPRs families will not move within 1km of any top school already

[howgozit]

Totally agree

That's why I say, the 1km tingy has become less and less important in buying decision, because nowadays many only have like 15 places left for Phase 2B (let alone 2C the 1km rule) and need to ballot and probability is so low. What's the point? Imagine buying a place which is not your dream home just to get a chance to get your child in ann elite school and still did't get in. You will be cussing for the rest of your life.

And I always believe, just send a child to any school. for those who think that in primary school, its important to get to know rich people, its not true. Most of the time, the real networking only happens from secondary school onwards. And as long as your child is good, he or she will do reasonably well in PSLE. And I've a friend's child who is in a neighbourhood secondary school, and she is from Nanyang Primary and she told me quite a few of her Nanyang Primary classmates are in neighbourhood secondary schools. Well....

just bring up your child well with the right values and dun be overly concerned with whether they mingle around with rich people and get to know rich people etc when they are so young. It's really sad how materialistic this world is and u have to shove it in a child's face. If you don't have affiliation, its ok.

[ay123]

there must have something that a school is term as good school.. one need not be in the top school but most parent will try to get their children into a better school.
my view is a better school not only better academically but also strong in cultivating value. also parents are more educated which in turn their children are better behave. in fact i prefer the "best" in a neighbourhood school than top school. the profile of children are not so well off, so they may not be as arrogant as those from top school and yet they are better behave than the "not so good" surrounding school.
so parent will still try to get a place that is near popular school as they have a better chance to be in phase B.

[howgozit]

Can't totally agree....

You cannot assume that the students that are well-off are more arrogant or vice versa.

Wrt cultivating value... IMHO the older schools with a richer history tend to have more sense of tradition and values.

there must have something that a school is term as good school.. one need not be in the top school but most parent will try to get their children into a better school.
my view is a better school not only better academically but also strong in cultivating value. also parents are more educated which in turn their children are better behave. in fact i prefer the "best" in a neighbourhood school than top school. the profile of children are not so well off, so they may not be as arrogant as those from top school and yet they are better behave than the "not so good" surrounding school.
so parent will still try to get a place that is near popular school as they have a better chance to be in phase B.

[Poloclub]

That's why I say, the 1km tingy has become less and less important in buying decision, because nowadays many only have like 15 places left for Phase 2B (let alone 2C the 1km rule) and need to ballot and probability is so low. What's the point? Imagine buying a place which is not your dream home just to get a chance to get your child in ann elite school and still did't get in. You will be cussing for the rest of your life.

And I always believe, just send a child to any school. for those who think that in primary school, its important to get to know rich people, its not true. Most of the time, the real networking only happens from secondary school onwards. And as long as your child is good, he or she will do reasonably well in PSLE. And I've a friend's child who is in a neighbourhood secondary school, and she is from Nanyang Primary and she told me quite a few of her Nanyang Primary classmates are in neighbourhood secondary schools. Well....

just bring up your child well with the right values and dun be overly concerned with whether they mingle around with rich people and get to know rich people etc when they are so young. It's really sad how materialistic this world is and u have to shove it in a child's face. If you don't have affiliation, its ok.

maybe father want to network with MILF

[seletar]

http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapor...ry_823704.html

PRIMARY 1 SLOTS

Popular schools almost full

Best to register to your kids to your old school or your spouse's old school. Guaranteed entry, no need to volunteer and/or move within 1 km. That's what I did.

I know of friends that volunteer and buy property within half km away to maximise change of getting in, some even purposely join hokkien huaykuan.

[Vincegoh]

Best to register to your kids to your old school or your spouse's old school. Guaranteed entry, no need to volunteer and/or move within 1 km. That's what I did.

I know of friends that volunteer and buy property within half km away to maximise change of getting in, some even purposely join hokkien huaykuan.

to get into Hokkien huaykuan u will need 2 sponsorships... so easier said than done unless u know some of them personally. even so, no guarantees of getting a placement.

[buttercarp]

Best to register to your kids to your old school or your spouse's old school. Guaranteed entry, no need to volunteer and/or move within 1 km. That's what I did.

I know of friends that volunteer and buy property within half km away to maximise change of getting in, some even purposely join hokkien huaykuan.

Agree with you.
No stress if you are old boy.
But it is still better to live near the school, especially if it is within walking distance..... really convenient.

[amk]

Close distance to a top primary school is always a selling point.
Regardless of your view of " what school you should send ur kids to".
There is always demand for such properties. Reality is every one at that age will try to find a house near a school.

And dun even assume alumni priority will stay forever. The moment it introduces a quota on alumini, distance will be even more sought after. I dun know how old you are. Phase 2B used to have no such thing as quota and every one got in, just like alumni now.

Education minister has said year after year "all schools are the same". No one takes it seriously. (just think of it, if all schools are the same, why bother to introduce "SC absolute priority"? Of course MOE himself also knows that's rubbish)

Separately, even if u r alumni, a caring parent will try to live near a school so the kid dun have to suffer. Plenty of alumni live around bt timah schools. So happen those area are also affluent and desirable area to live too