X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Singapore's Primary 1 Registration Can Be Made Simpler, Says Yale-NUS Study

4 min read

A recently study reveals that primary school registration in Singapore is not simple and can only be fair to parents and children, if it were simplified.

According to the Yale-NUS College study, simplifying its system can especially make it fairer for those with fewer resources. 

The study was published in May 2021, and was conducted by Yale-NUS assistant professor of social sciences (psychology) Cheung Hoi Shan, and Yale sociology lecturer Mira Debs. It is based on the analysis of local media coverage of the school registration exercise from 2010 to 2020.

Primary School Registration In Singapore Can Be Confusing And Lacks Transparency, Says Study

Singapores Primary 1 Registration Can Be Made Simpler, Says Yale-NUS Study

Image source: iStock

The study states that with over a hundred school options and a tiered system with several phases, the primary school registration process can be confusing for families in Singapore. Children who are privileged also get more advantage this way. 

Looking into the whole system of the primary school registration process in Singapore, the study mentions features that make it disadvantageous to other parents:

  • There are parents who may have alumni connections to popular schools that can be more beneficial to their children.
  • The system favours families who already have alumni ties. 
  • Parents who have the money to rent or buy a home near their preferred school can just change their address to increase their child’s chances of getting a coveted place in the school.
  • The study says parents need to be “conversant… in a series of complex calculations” during the primary school registration process in Singapore to assess their options. 
  • There is a lack of transparency in the registration exercise that results in parents having too many options.
  • In the study, researchers added that parents who are unable to access any online forums are “at an even greater disadvantage.”
  • The system also favours parents who have the time, financial resources and skills to become a parent volunteer at their school of choice.

Parents who don’t have such privileges are at a disadvantage when it comes to the registration process and the study says they “end up taking their place at the end of the line.”

How Can We Make The Primary 1 Registration Process Fairer?

primary school registration in singapore

Image source: Facebook / Ministry of Education, Singapore

The Yale-NUS study also gave suggestions on ways to solve these problems to make the primary school registration system in Singapore fairer.

They added that despite the stereotype that Singaporean parents can be overly competitive, they can still work together to navigate the enrolment system.

So that no one gets left behind, researchers give the following solutions:

  • To increase the diversity in popular schools, researchers suggest having Primary 1 spots reserved for children from low-income families.
  • Much like the secondary school election system, the process for Primary 1 registrations can also reduce the number of school options by allowing parents to make a ranked preference of a few schools.
  • There should also be a consistent and transparent selection process across schools to reduce the number of privileged groups in the system.
  • Researchers also add, “Retaining sibling and distance preference but requiring everyone else to ballot could also make the system more equitable for those without prior affiliations, or the cultural capital and economic resources to volunteer their time.”

The Ministry of Education is still reviewing the Primary 1 registration framework and is looking into increasing the number of places set aside under Phase 2C which is considered the most competitive phase.

What do you think of the current P1 registration?

Lead image source from Facebook / Ministry of Education, Singapore.

Partner Stories
Learn Tech and Media Skills, Gain Industry Exposure and Build a Portfolio. Here’s How Your Child Can Benefit from an Infocomm or Media CCA!
Learn Tech and Media Skills, Gain Industry Exposure and Build a Portfolio. Here’s How Your Child Can Benefit from an Infocomm or Media CCA!
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
NTU Singapore and Marshall Cavendish Education Collaborate to Develop Online Courses for K12 Educators
NTU Singapore and Marshall Cavendish Education Collaborate to Develop Online Courses for K12 Educators
Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists and Engineers With 3M Girls Can Tinker Program
Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists and Engineers With 3M Girls Can Tinker Program

News source: The Straits Times

ALSO READ:

How To Prepare For P1 Registration 2021: A Helpful Guide For Parents

Parents, Take Note: P1 Registration For 2022 Will Begin From June 30, To Be Fully Online

Singapores Primary 1 Registration Can Be Made Simpler, Says Yale-NUS Study

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Ally Villar

  • Home
  • /
  • Education
  • /
  • Singapore's Primary 1 Registration Can Be Made Simpler, Says Yale-NUS Study
Share:
  • All About Parent Volunteer and Why You Should Consider?

    All About Parent Volunteer and Why You Should Consider?

  • Homeschool Classroom Ideas: How to Set Up Your Homeschool Space for Success

    Homeschool Classroom Ideas: How to Set Up Your Homeschool Space for Success

  • Why Relaxed Homeschooling May Be the Perfect Fit for Your Family

    Why Relaxed Homeschooling May Be the Perfect Fit for Your Family

  • All About Parent Volunteer and Why You Should Consider?

    All About Parent Volunteer and Why You Should Consider?

  • Homeschool Classroom Ideas: How to Set Up Your Homeschool Space for Success

    Homeschool Classroom Ideas: How to Set Up Your Homeschool Space for Success

  • Why Relaxed Homeschooling May Be the Perfect Fit for Your Family

    Why Relaxed Homeschooling May Be the Perfect Fit for Your Family

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.