Singaporean enrol International School

[Maclion]

Allo! thinking of enroling my son to International School after his PSLE. Possible? Anyone's done it before?

We are all Singaporean, born and raise here, with scars from army to show.

[sundaymorningstaple]

The simple answer is no.

The more complicated answer is "on rare occasions".

If the child is in need of special education then it's sometimes possible but going forward in the almost 3 decades I've been here, It used to be that ONLY the American School had some "special education" facilities while Singapore schools/MOE did not. I don't know if they do now but I would tend to doubt it, reading the following link.

http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/program ... ial-needs/

This from SM Lee when he was still MM Lee about 4 or 5 years ago:

He said: "As Singapore companies go abroad and have to expand, Singapore expatriates have to set up their own International Schools. But unlike Americans who get together and set up their own International Schools, Singaporeans write to their government and say 'please set up such schools for us'."

For Mr Lee, the help extended by the Singapore American School was also personal as it has touched the life of his grandson.

Addressing the Singapore American School (SAS), MM Lee said: "I also had a grandson who could not fit into our schools. He had an IQ of 140, so he is not a stupid boy. But he was having trouble. His brother was scoring and he was not because he was dyslexic and he had to learn two languages - English and Chinese.

"So, the Education Ministry allowed him to opt out of the system. We did not have the specialist teachers to cater for people like him. He joined the SAS and at your school, your teachers helped him cope with his dyslexia and in the process restored his self esteem and confidence, and he's done well. Your staff support the American community and they have brought benefits to Singaporeans. Thank you."

OR

If you can show that you are immigrating to a country like the US or some other country with a different schooling method and it can be proved to their satisfaction, I heard of special dispensations being given out that way. However, the only thing I can find currently is special dispensation for returning Singaporeans who have been overseas for a considerable length of time. Again, it's on a case by case basis.

http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissi ... m-schools/

That's the only two ways I've ever heard of.

sms

[Maclion]

sigh...can't we choose what we want for our children???

[fristromcan]

Have you look at SJI international, Hwa Chong International and ACS international? I thought they can take in Singaporeans without prior approval.

[manutdfan]

Have you look at SJI international, Hwa Chong International and ACS international? I thought they can take in Singaporeans without prior approval.

SJI have a quota of Singaporeans they can take (and it's relatively low - 15% I think). On a recent visit there, it was implied that this quota can include the Singaporean kids who were granted exception permission.

My daughter is a dual national (SG + UK) my son is UK only. Tanglin suggested that it would be relatively straightforward for both to get permission to go there because of her foreign nationality.

From what SJI said though, we could end up in the ludicrous situation she'd be allowed into Tanglin but not into SJI because SJI already had too many Singaporeans....

[scarbowl]

For a foreign school to remain "foreign" there must be a limit on the Singapore population. At some level of local enrollment a school becomes Singaporean and stops serving the expatriate population.

There are may schools for Singaporeans to choose from but far fewer for expatriates. If you are French, for example, you aren't likely to broaden your selection to include the Indian or American schools. You may want an education that allows your child to return to the French system. If the school is filled with Singaporeans there may no longer be the capacity to enroll the French citizens.

I'm sorry for your difficulties in finding a school for your children. But there are hundreds of suitable choices for you and not so many for expatriates.

[manutdfan]

For a foreign school to remain "foreign" there must be a limit on the Singapore population. At some level of local enrollment a school becomes Singaporean and stops serving the expatriate population.

There are may schools for Singaporeans to choose from but far fewer for expatriates. If you are French, for example, you aren't likely to broaden your selection to include the Indian or American schools. You may want an education that allows your child to return to the French system. If the school is filled with Singaporeans there may no longer be the capacity to enroll the French citizens.

I'm sorry for your difficulties in finding a school for your children. But there are hundreds of suitable choices for you and not so many for expatriates.

I'm not sure if this is addressed to me or not. If it is, you did pick up where I said my Singaporean child is currently a dual national right?

In fact a significant part of the reason we're looking at International Schools is because we are precisely their target audience - it is unlikely at this point that my two year old will celebrate her seventh birthday in Singapore.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Then you will have to approach the MOE and get a dispensation to all your child to apply to an International School. If you are male and the foreigner then then the odds are higher of it being approved, especially if you are from a western country.

[scarbowl]

I'm not sure if this is addressed to me or not. If it is, you did pick up where I said my Singaporean child is currently a dual national right?

In fact a significant part of the reason we're looking at International Schools is because we are precisely their target audience - it is unlikely at this point that my two year old will celebrate her seventh birthday in Singapore.

Yes, I did. And I notice that you said "Singaporean child" which was the operative term in my response. I'm not meaning to be harsh but a Singaporean citizen has many more realistic choices in their child's education. Also, I understood that Singapore does not allow multiple passports. Or does that only apply to non-Singaporeans?

[sundaymorningstaple]

If your child has dual citizenship, which IS allowed up to the age of majority, but the mother is Singaporean, then the child is Singaporean for all intents and purposes. While in Singapore there can be no other way. Therefore all rules governing Singaporean children (with or without other citizenships) are the same. This means, as long as the child is a Singapore citizen, (s)he will need dispensation in order to enter an International School.

[manutdfan]

If your child has dual citizenship, which IS allowed up to the age of majority, but the mother is Singaporean, then the child is Singaporean for all intents and purposes. While in Singapore there can be no other way. Therefore all rules governing Singaporean children (with or without other citizenships) are the same. This means, as long as the child is a Singapore citizen, (s)he will need dispensation in order to enter an International School.

I am aware of that. I'm not even complaining about it.

As I said in my original posting, I was told that as she was dual national and we probably wouldn't stay in Singapore for the duration she would most likely easily get a dispensation.

My sole "complaint" was merely observing that SJI's Singaporean quota might put us in the odd situation that even with the dispensation they couldn't take her although Tanglin or another school might.

[cleebee]

Sundaymorningstaple- so do you think if the mother is the foreigner and the father is the singaporean, it will be harder to get MOE to approve a dual nationality child to attend International School? My kids are sg-us citizens. Currently one of my kids attends a local primary school but I was planning on applying to international school after a few years. I was told by an admission officer of an intl school that it will be hard for us to get approval. Although my husband is singaporean, he was educated and worked abroad. He also frequently travels overseas. I'm hoping these factors will help us. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Manutdfan, please feel free to pm me if you want to talk more about this.