Chan Chun Sing on relocating primary schools to new towns and converting single-gender schools to co-ed

The Ministry of Education (MOE) takes into account current and projected residential populations to meet educational needs at the national and local levels when planning the locations of new schools and reviewing the distribution of schools, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing. Replying to MPs' questions in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 28), he said MOE is mindful that each relocation case and its circumstances are unique. Turning to schools for boys and girls, he said in general, all new schools that MOE opens are co-ed. In the case of Anglo-Chinese School (Primary), Mr Chan said its Board of Governors had discussed with MOE on a possible move of one of its two primary schools in the Bukit Timah area to the heartlands. During the discussions, MOE offered a Tengah site but explained that it would not be tenable for the school not to take in girls at the Tengah location as that would constrain school options for families in the area. Mr Chan also said MOE does not have a plan to proactively convert existing single-gender schools to co-ed schools although it has had several cases over the decades. It takes a customised approach and discusses with key decision makers in each school to facilitate the transition and provide the necessary support. Where there are major changes to the schools, whether in relocating or going co-ed, MOE will give advance notice as far ahead as possible, he said. He added that once the plans are firmed up, MOE will work with the schools on the transition arrangements to minimise the impact and inconvenience for students and their families.