OVERSUBSCRIPTION OF PRIMARY 1 PLACES AT PRINCESS ELIZABETH PRIMARY SCHOOL
Since the construction of new BTO flats near Princess Elizabeth Primary School (PEPS) several years back, it persistently receives a lot more applications as compared to places it could offer. Over the years, I have been engaging MOE and the school regularly to see how this matter can be addressed. I filed a parliamentary question (“PQ”) asking if MOE could consider building a primary school in the vicinity soon. In his reply, Minister Chan Chun Sing informed that his Ministry is closely monitoring the trends and are close to finalising and making public its plans. Fingers crossed in the meantime! My PQ and Minister’s response may be accessed below.
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Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Education with regard to the persistently high levels of oversubscription for Primary 1 places at Princess Elizabeth Primary School after new housing developments in the area were completed leading to children of families within walking distance being balloted out, whether the Ministry will build an additional primary school in the vicinity soon.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: The Ministry of Education (MOE) studies the local demand and supply trends for primary school places carefully, taking into account current and projected changes in local demography, for example when significant new housing developments are added to existing estates. We are mindful not to create new schools too quickly, as they may end up cannibalising existing schools. Neither do we plan new schools on the basis of one or two existing schools with high levels of oversubscription, as school places have to be planned on a regional basis.
For Bukit Batok specifically, there were about 200 Primary 1 (P1) places remaining in Lianhua Primary and Bukit View Primary (around 14% of total planned P1 places in Bukit Batok) at the end of Phase 2C (Supplementary) in this year’s P1 Registration Exercise, which is slightly higher than the 130 P1 places (or 10%) remaining in last year’s P1 Registration Exercise. Both schools are about 1.5 kilometres away from Princess Elizabeth Primary. There are hence sufficient primary school places in the region for now.
Nonetheless, we would like to assure Mr Murali that we have been closely monitoring the trends, including the significant projected demand for P1 places from the planned housing developments in the coming years. We have factored this into our ongoing planning process, and are close to finalising our plans and will provide details once ready.
