Primary 1 registration: 33 schools oversubscribed in Phase 2B

SINGAPORE: A total of 33 primary schools are oversubscribed in Phase 2B of the Primary 1 registration exercise this year, data from the Ministry of Education showed on Friday (Jul 22).

Phase 2B is the last phase where children with links to a school can apply to enter Primary 1 the following year. The next phase, 2C, is for all children.

Registration for Phase 2B started at 9am on Tuesday and closed at 4.30pm on Wednesday this week. The data on the number of applications per school was released on Friday evening.

Every school in Singapore will have to reserve at least 20 spaces in Phase 2B. This year, 33 primary schools were oversubscribed in this phase, up from the 28 last year.

The most oversubscribed school in this phase was Methodist Girls’ School, with 79 applicants for 20 places. It was followed by 61 applicants for 23 places at Tao Nan School, and 48 applicants for 20 places at Ai Tong School.

Phase 2B is the last phase before spaces are open to all children with or without links to a school.

It is reserved for children whose parent has joined the primary school as a parent volunteer not later than Jul 1 this year, and has given at least 40 hours of voluntary service to the school by Jun 30.

Students whose parent is a member endorsed by the church or clan directly connected to the school can also apply, as can children whose parent is endorsed as an active community leader.

Children who gain priority admission into a school under the eligibility of the parent being an active community leader must stay within 2km of the school. They are required to live at that address for at least 30 months from Jun 29.

If the 30-month stay requirement is not met, MOE can transfer the child to another school with vacancies.

NO BALLOT FOR THREE SCHOOLS

Of the 33 oversubscribed schools, three will not go to the ballot. Fairfield Methodist School and Xinmin Primary School only have places for Singaporean children living within 2km of the school. Northland Primary School only has vacancies for Singaporean children living within 1km of the school.

St Joseph’s Institution and Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School will conduct balloting for Singaporean children living between 1km and 2km of the respective schools.

St Anthony’s Primary School and Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School will conduct balloting for Singaporean children living outside 2km of the schools.

The remaining 26 schools will conduct balloting for Singaporean children living within 1km of each school.

According to MOE's data, 57 primary schools received no applicants in Phase 2B.

CHANGES TO REGISTRATION EXERCISE

Under the new changes to the Primary 1 registration exercise, 40 places will be reserved in Phase 2C in each primary school, up from 20 places previously.

Phase 2B continued to have 20 spaces. One-third of the remaining places in Phase 2A were allocated to Phase 2B, while two-thirds will go to Phase 2C.

This year’s Primary 1 registration exercise saw a more competitive Phase 2A, after Phase 2A(1) and 2A(2) were merged. In Phase 2A, 33 schools were also oversubscribed. Last year 17 schools were oversubscribed after Phase 2A(2).

The increase in reserved places in Phase 2C meant fewer places were available in earlier phases.

Under the changes to the Primary 1 registration exercise, the way the distance between the school and home is calculated has changed.

That distance was previously calculated using a single reference point based on the school’s original building layout to the registrant’s home, even if the school building has changed significantly.

It is now calculated based on the school land boundary. The home to school distance will be the shortest distance from a point on the boundary around the school to the applicant's home.