Registering your children for primary school can be a stressful process. Now, with all the changes to Phase 2C, it’s going to be even har-
Reader: WE’RE IN PHASE 2C AlREADY?! Why did no one announce this?
Phase 2C has nothing to do with the COVID-19 pandemic, dear reader. It’s a registration phase for primary school.
Reader: Phew. So I can still eat at the coffee shop and lick stray cats?
Uh, please don’t do that last thing, that was never acceptable.
As I was saying, the authorities have recently made some changes to the Primary 1 registration rules.
And if your child is eligible for registration soon, I have some good news for you.
More Spots in Phase 2C
The number of Primary 1 spots for children who don’t qualify for priority admission will be doubled from next year.
Since 2014, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has set aside 20 places in each primary school for Phase 2C registrants.
From 2022, this number will go up to 40.
Phase 2C is the first phase in the registration process that does not grant priority admission to pupils. It’s for children or parents who have no affiliation with the school they’re applying to. Priority in this phase is given to those who live nearby.
The change was largely triggered by two factors:
- Increased competition
- A decline in the number of pupils who could access a school near their home without any links
In 2021, one in three schools had to undergo balloting for Phase 2C spots for Singaporeans living within 1km of the school.
Since simply living near a school is not enough, these additional spots will help ensure that schools remain accessible, open, and inclusive.
More of the Remaining Vacancies to Go to Phase 2C Applicants
Previously, remaining vacancies from earlier phases – 1 and 2A – were split evenly between Phase 2B and 2C.
But from 2022, applicants in Phase 2C will also be allocated two-thirds of the remaining vacancies, while Phase 2B applicants will get the remaining one-third of places.
Phase 2B will continue to have 20 spots for prospective pupils.
Combining of Phase 2A (1) & 2A (2)
Another change includes the combining of the two phases 2A(1) and 2A(2). Both phases were set aside for children of alumni.
Under Phase 2A (1), children whose parents had joined the school’s alumni association or are members of its advisory or management committee were granted priority.
Phase 2B (1) was reserved for alumni who were not members of the association, children of staff members, and children in MOE kindergartens located within the primary school.
The two phases will be combined into a single phase next year.
Larger Coverage of Homes in School-to-Home Proximity
MOE will also be revising the way it calculates the distance between home and school, which will lead to a larger coverage of homes.
Children who live closer to their school of choice already have greater priority in all phases.
But with this change, there could be a 10% increase in eligible applicants for each home-school distance category for every school.
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Featured Image: Facebook (Ministry of Education, Singapore)