Amid DSA basketball bribery probe, coaches and alumni raise concerns over some selection processes

SINGAPORE: For some Direct School Admission (DSA) entry points such as team sports and arts-related fields, the selection process contains a layer of subjectivity that makes it difficult to decide on the best or most deserving applicant.

And this could be exploited especially if it boils down to one person having the final word – which is often the case, according to sports coaches and former students who benefited from the scheme.

They were speaking with CNA after Singapore launched investigations into a basketball coach who allegedly accepted bribes to secure students’ spots in secondary schools under the DSA pathway. 

Even though the allegations remain unproven, the case also raises longstanding questions of whether the DSA system is truly equitable and fair, said one expert. 

The DSA scheme, which was introduced in 2004, lets students use talents in areas such as sports, music and leadership to get into secondary schools or junior colleges (JCs), before they even sit for examinations.

Last year, nearly 40 per cent – or 14,500 students – of the Primary 6 cohort submitted DSA applications. Of these, only about one-third or 4,400 students succeeded.

It was first reported last Wednesday (Jul 24) that the coach allegedly charged parents up to S$50,000 to put their children in schools of their choice. 

The Ministry of Education (MOE) said that the coach has been deregistered since April and is no longer working in any MOE school, while the Sport Singapore statutory board said his National Registry of Coaches membership has been suspended. 

"THE BIGGEST SAY"

Coaches and former DSA students who spoke to CNA requested anonymity as they did not want to be seen criticising the institutions they either work for or once attended.

One basketball coach told CNA that "every system has its own grey areas"; and that he was not surprised by the control that the coach being probed allegedly had over the selection process. 

Speaking from his own experience, while he was coaching a secondary school, the teacher-in-charge of basketball trusted him with “100 per cent rights” to pick students under the DSA.

The teacher might not have had time to interview every student, and would defer to his judgment on some cases.

In light of the alleged bribery case, MOE had said in a statement that schools need to form selection panels led by their leadership teams, to evaluate DSA applicants. Coaches can play a supportive role when necessary, but do not have the final say on admission, the ministry stated.

The MOE website acknowledges, however, that "different schools have different selection processes", and recommends checking the individual institutions' websites for details.

A 26-year-old who entered secondary school in 2011 under the DSA in badminton said she always had the impression it was the coach who had "the biggest say" and eventually decided who got picked – and that teachers were only involved administratively.

During her DSA trial, the coach watched the students play against each other and assessed their skills. It seemed like it solely depended on whether the coach thought she was up to par, she said.

At a school she tried to enter under the DSA, the teacher-in-charge of badminton had a short conversation with her and her mother, rather than a proper interview.

Another former DSA student, who got into her secondary school in 2016 through her talent in the literary arts, recalled that her process involved an audition and written examination. 

“In the arts, my style of writing could appeal to some people and not others, so the shortlisting process is also not devoid of any biases or luck," said the 21-year-old.

“In that sense, the DSA will never be a fully objective or meritocratic process ... The moment you put anything in the hands of an individual, it becomes biased."

But one parent of four children, of which three benefited from the DSA scheme, called for a more considered response to the alleged bribery case.

“If the allegation is proven true, I hope that parents will be more discerning and do less knee-jerk reactions,” said 47-year-old Carol Lim.

“Just one bad egg does not mean that the whole DSA system is broken, although there clearly would need to be rectifications and mitigations put in place."

In light of this case, at least one Member of Parliament will be filing a question about the DSA process for an upcoming parliamentary sitting on Aug 6.

Workers' Party's (WP's) Louis Chua from Sengkang asked if individuals involved in the DSA selection process need to declare affiliation with a candidate.

In February this year, WP's Jamus Lim also posed a question about unfair practices in the DSA process, especially with coaches whose recommendations may hold "a certain undue weight". 

Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing said then that MOE will thoroughly investigate any allegations of unfair practices in the DSA exercise. 

THE DSA: TRULY FAIR?

One former DSA student and table tennis player for his secondary school recounted that his trial involved a round-robin competition with the top three getting the spots.

“For us it was quite transparent,” said the now 26-year-old.

The basketball coach whom CNA interviewed admitted that there were ways to have a more impartial selection process even for team sports like his.

After about a year of selecting students through his own judgment, parents began complaining that this was too subjective. So he introduced a ranking system based on a player’s height, speed, court awareness and proficiency in drills, among other factors. 

The 21-year-old former DSA arts student concurred with MOE's requirement for schools to form selection panels.

“Having a diverse group of people might act as a check and balance against an individual’s misjudgment," she added. "Even though it’s not a fireproof way of ensuring the DSA is empathetically meritocratic."

The emergence of the alleged bribery case has also "thrown into stark relief" key issues around equity, fairness, transparency and accessibility for all students under the DSA system, said the National Institute of Education don Jason Tan.

Some of these have been “well-documented” and debated in parliament over the years, added the associate professor in policy, curriculum and leadership.

In 2016, Member of Parliament Denise Phua called it an “open secret” that children from a more affluent background stood a higher chance of benefiting from the DSA programme, since they could be nurtured from young in the arts or sports.

“Better resourced parents are definitely at an advantage when it comes to financial resources; when it comes to using social networks to find out about various DSA options, coaching options and so on,” Assoc Prof Tan said. 

He noted that a quick search online today would unearth multiple sports academies and coaching services primed at helping primary school children gear up for DSA selection trials and even interviews.

The academic called for financial assistance and bursary schemes to be enhanced, so that anybody who qualifies and wants to attend top secondary schools can "confidently" do so.

And these top schools should also actively seek out DSA students who fulfil broader criteria, said Assoc Prof Tan.

These could include character, resilience, drive and leadership - as outlined at the 2013 National Day Rally by then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

“The government, on its part, is fully aware of the equity and fairness issues," said Assoc Prof Tan. "And (that) it’s still ongoing."