Grassroots Leaders Securing Priority for their Children under Phase 2B of Primary 1 Registration Exercise

78 Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) how many People's Association grassroots leaders (GRLs) in the last 10 years have utilised their privileges under Phase 2B of the Primary 1 registration process to apply for priority registration of their children; (b) how many GRLs have been successful (i) with ballot and (ii) without ballot; and (c) how many GRLs were unsuccessful.

Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: Mr Speaker, I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association (PA). Under the Primary 1 (P1) Registration Framework, current serving committee members of the Residents' Network (RN), Residents' Committee (RC), Neighbourhood Committee (NC), Citizen's Consultative Committee (CCC), Community Club Management Committee (CCMC) and the Community Development Council (CDC) are eligible to register their child under Phase 2B as active community leaders in schools within two kilometres of their residence. This is not exclusive to grassroots leaders (GRLs) and is also extended to other volunteers who have served or are connected to the school in one way or another.

To qualify as active community leaders, PA requires GRLs to serve actively in these Committees for at least two years continuously prior to the P1 registration exercise. GRLs who meet the qualifying criteria may submit their applications to PA for assessment and endorsement.

On average, less than 1.5% of GRLs seek to register their child under Phase 2B yearly and out of this pool, not all are successful. The outcome still depends on factors, such as demand and vacancies, which can vary year to year. Regardless of the outcome, many volunteers continue serving in the grassroots.

PA does not have the data on the number of GRLs who have been successful or unsuccessful in registering their child with ballot and without ballot.