Singapore primary schools “swarmed” by PRs and foreigners
January 13, 2010 by admin
Written by Our Correspondent
The shocking truth that everybody has been guessing is finally out: that Singapore primary schools are “swarmed” by PRs and foreigners.
In a written reply to questions from Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Baey Yam Keng, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen revealed that “about 26,000 permanent residents here are studying in national primary schools, making up about 10 per cent of the enrolment.”
The exact number of foreigners studying in Singapore primary schools is not known, but if it is counted in the equation, it will mean that more than 10 per cent of the enrolment are non-Singaporeans, an astonishingly high figure for public schools which are supposed to cater to citizens only since they are funded by taxpayers’ monies.
Singapore is perhaps one of the few countries in the world where PRs and foreigners are allowed to study in its public schools run by the Ministry of Education.
In other countries, foreigners will have to put up their children in international schools.
For example, Singaporeans working in China enroll their children in Singapore international schools and not in Chinese schools run by the Chinese government, assuming that they are on par with the standard of a Singapore school.
PRs and foreigners should not be competing with Singaporeans for limited primary school places in the first place.
In the past, PRs enjoy equal opportunities as citizens in balloting for places in primary schools which sparked widespread unhappiness and resentment among Singaporeans.
The rules were “tweaked” recently when the Education Ministry announced a month ago that Singaporeans will have one more ballot slip than permanent residents when they ballot for a place in the Primary 1 school registration exercise this year.
However, the additional ballot will count for little due to the rising numbers of PRs and foreigners in Singapore as a result of the ruling party’s liberal immigration policies.
A forumer pointed out on the Straits Times discussion board that the change will have little impact other than to spur more PRs to take up citizenship or to join grassroots organizations.
The token increase in the school fees paid by PRs to over $800 is only a half-hearted measure to better “distinguish” between citizens and PRs.
Most PRs can well afford to put their children up at international schools which charge between $20,000 and $30,000 a year. They should not be allowed to “leech” on precious public resources reserved for Singaporeans just because they want to save a few extra dollars.
Those PRs who are unable to “compete” with locals should not even be permitted to step foot on Singapore to work at all.
Why are we giving PRs to PRC construction workers, cleaners and masseurs and investing in their children but not our very own Singaporeans?
PRs should not be given a ballot to compete with Singapore citizens for places in primary schools, especially the popular ones like Raffles Girl, Henry Park, Nanyang and Rosyth Primary schools.
They can only be allowed to apply for leftover places in Singapore primary schools after the citizens have taken their pick and this is already a very generous gesture to them.
PRs should stop whining that they deserve “equal rights” as Singaporeans because they pay taxes and contribute to Singapore economy too.
To borrow an infamous quote from Lee Kuan Yew who is so infatuated with his new pets:
“If PRs and foreigners are falling behind because “the spurs are not stuck into the hide,” that is THEIR problem, and NOT the problem of Singapore citizens.”
source Temasek Review
January 13, 2010 by admin
Written by Our Correspondent
The shocking truth that everybody has been guessing is finally out: that Singapore primary schools are “swarmed” by PRs and foreigners.
In a written reply to questions from Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Baey Yam Keng, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen revealed that “about 26,000 permanent residents here are studying in national primary schools, making up about 10 per cent of the enrolment.”
The exact number of foreigners studying in Singapore primary schools is not known, but if it is counted in the equation, it will mean that more than 10 per cent of the enrolment are non-Singaporeans, an astonishingly high figure for public schools which are supposed to cater to citizens only since they are funded by taxpayers’ monies.
Singapore is perhaps one of the few countries in the world where PRs and foreigners are allowed to study in its public schools run by the Ministry of Education.
In other countries, foreigners will have to put up their children in international schools.
For example, Singaporeans working in China enroll their children in Singapore international schools and not in Chinese schools run by the Chinese government, assuming that they are on par with the standard of a Singapore school.
PRs and foreigners should not be competing with Singaporeans for limited primary school places in the first place.
In the past, PRs enjoy equal opportunities as citizens in balloting for places in primary schools which sparked widespread unhappiness and resentment among Singaporeans.
The rules were “tweaked” recently when the Education Ministry announced a month ago that Singaporeans will have one more ballot slip than permanent residents when they ballot for a place in the Primary 1 school registration exercise this year.
However, the additional ballot will count for little due to the rising numbers of PRs and foreigners in Singapore as a result of the ruling party’s liberal immigration policies.
A forumer pointed out on the Straits Times discussion board that the change will have little impact other than to spur more PRs to take up citizenship or to join grassroots organizations.
The token increase in the school fees paid by PRs to over $800 is only a half-hearted measure to better “distinguish” between citizens and PRs.
Most PRs can well afford to put their children up at international schools which charge between $20,000 and $30,000 a year. They should not be allowed to “leech” on precious public resources reserved for Singaporeans just because they want to save a few extra dollars.
Those PRs who are unable to “compete” with locals should not even be permitted to step foot on Singapore to work at all.
Why are we giving PRs to PRC construction workers, cleaners and masseurs and investing in their children but not our very own Singaporeans?
PRs should not be given a ballot to compete with Singapore citizens for places in primary schools, especially the popular ones like Raffles Girl, Henry Park, Nanyang and Rosyth Primary schools.
They can only be allowed to apply for leftover places in Singapore primary schools after the citizens have taken their pick and this is already a very generous gesture to them.
PRs should stop whining that they deserve “equal rights” as Singaporeans because they pay taxes and contribute to Singapore economy too.
To borrow an infamous quote from Lee Kuan Yew who is so infatuated with his new pets:
“If PRs and foreigners are falling behind because “the spurs are not stuck into the hide,” that is THEIR problem, and NOT the problem of Singapore citizens.”
source Temasek Review
