Yes, believe it or not, you read the title right:

For Primary 1 registration at one school: Only 23 of 150 places taken

The Primary 1 registration frenzy did not hit every school. There are three neighbourhood schools which can barely form a class next year.

Hong Kah Primary School in Bukit Batok West has only 23 pupils registered for next year so far, even though it can take up to 150.

At the National Day Rally on Sunday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong emphasised again that every school is a good school, but he acknowledged that parents and pupils still have strong preferences for certain schools.

Credits: The New Paper

I don’t know about you, but that was a shocking revelation for me to read especially when in the news, it’s usually about how schools need to conduct balloting, parents fighting over spots in primary schools, and the amount of effort a parent must try do to get their child in the school. Ie – donation, charity, social work, volunteering etc.

For example, quoted from our Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Long in his ND Rally Speech:

This year, at the end of Phase 2C, more than half of the 190 primary schools had to conduct balloting. He said parents have found creative ways to maximise their chances of getting into the schools of their choice. He said: “One mother moved house four times to give her older children a better chance to get into the primary schools.”

– Lee Hsien Long, ND Rally: Primary 1 registration exercise to be tweaked

Then look at this article below from AsiaOne:

99 schools to conduct balloting for Primary 1 registration

These schools, which include Radin Mas Primary at Bukit Purmei, Nan Chiau Primary at Anchorvale, and Kong Hwa School at Guillemard Road, received more applications than vacancies in this phase, which ended on Aug 1.

In Sengkang, Rivervale Primary received 166 applicants for 83 places and Nan Chiau Primary had 135 for 52 spots. Rosyth School in Serangoon received 93 for 31 spots.

Credits:AsiaOne & Eadvantage

When you compare that to Hong Kah Primary School (23 applications for 150 spots) – more than 100+ spots available! as well as the two other primary schools in Singapore who are just struggling to get even one class to run for next year. 

The reason being is probably not because they aren’t good schools. Instead it’s most likely because they just aren’t as ‘branded‘. 

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Till later,
♥ mitsueki

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