1. All primary schools are the same - same curriculum, teachers undergo the same training, principals are rotated. Love, love, love our school. Can change as PR, will not. Sought after schools are nothing but elite schools around expensive property (lower percentage from low income families). High pressure, because parents can afford coaching and seem to be permanently engaged in some kind of race. Plenty of measures taken by MOE to discourage this.malcontent wrote: ↑Thu, 03 Dec 2020 12:27 pmPhase 3 in P1 registration represents the least desired spots in local schools, after everyone else has had their pick. Despite that, there still aren’t nearly enough “unwanted spots” left over for non-SC, non-PR population here who are tax paying residents of Singapore (some people still seem to think foreign students are mostly non-residents who’s family don’t pay taxes here, those days are practically gone). Note that many who apply in phase 3 are not given a spot, or are given a spot at a school across town - not even a spot at the least desired neighborhood school! Is it any wonder that many give up and just go international?
It was not always this way, it was around the mid-2000’s that supply of spots was reduced below the level of demand, and around that same time, differentiated school fees started to kick in... something of a ERP system to discourage foreigners in the local school system.
While this is all good intentioned policy that further differentiates the perceived value of SC and PR, the consequence is that the vibrancy of local kids mixing with international kids is almost completely lost... and this is something that many local parents expressed a desire for (it used to be a big draw for Tanjong Katong as an example). This creates a more insular environment for school kids here, and without such exposure they are likely to be less globally minded, less open to the world outside and possibly less prepared to take on future leadership positions in global companies here.
2. Didn't say all non-PR foreigners are given a place in local school. Only a fraction get seats (but, along with PRs, enough for the diversity angle). I did say that many won't even consider local school. This feeling is so strong that they won't even bother applying. A large percentage of PRs with guaranteed seats will still choose International Schools if they can afford it.
3. Regarding vibrancy (a mix of local and international students), which country are you from? Did the ministry of education think it needed foreigners in school for vibrancy? Is that one of the principles underlining primary or secondary school education anywhere in the world? Has that affected employment in global companies? The "global outlook" bit sounds suspiciously like International School marketing fluff. Let's admit it - most expats have no desire to imbibe Singaporean culture, values and way of life; they'd rather have a little expat circle (where their kids can fit in culturally) or at least some kind of comfortable cultural mix. Typical expat attitude. I am a local school parent and I am yet to meet a local (local by descent, not an expat who is now a citizen) who has said they want more foreigners in school. Singapore's own population is quite diverse, by the way.