Primary School Vacancies in Chua Chu Kang
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the sufficiency of primary school vacancies in Chua Chu Kang following the influx of new housing residents in the Keat Hong area. Mr Zaqy Mohamad inquired about proximity success rates and waiting lists for South View Primary School, Concord Primary School, and Chua Chu Kang Primary School. Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng stated that school places have been increased to meet projected demand and ensure sufficient capacity for local families. He noted that Keat Hong’s success rate for securing a school within two kilometres aligns with the national average of approximately 98%. While specific schools maintain waitlists, the Minister highlighted that vacancies remain available in other nearby institutions like Teck Whye and Kranji Primary Schools.
Transcript
34 Mr Zaqy Mohamad asked the Minister for Education (Schools) (a) whether the number of primary school vacancies in Chua Chu Kang is sufficient, given the influx of new BTOs in the Keat Hong area, particularly for applicants seeking a school within two kilometres (km) of their home; (b) what proportion of Primary 1 school applicants living in Keat Hong division have been able to secure a school within two km of their homes; and (c) what is the current waiting list of Southview Primary School, Concord Primary School and Chua Chu Kang Primary School.
Mr Ng Chee Meng: The Ministry of Education regularly reviews the demand and supply trends at the national and regional levels to ensure that there are sufficient school places for school-going children, taking into account the current and projected population as well as planned housing development programmes.
Due to the families that are moving into the recently completed Housing and Development Board Build-To-Order flats in Choa Chu Kang, we have projected a slight increase in the localised demand for primary school places. As such, we have increased the number of school vacancies in some of the schools in Choa Chu Kang. There should be sufficient primary school places to meet the increased demand from these families.
The proportion of Primary 1 (P1)-going children who secured a P1 place in their first-choice school or a school within two kilometres of their homes averaged about 98% nationally for the 2017 P1 Registration Exercise. The outcomes for individual constituencies would typically hover close to the national average, and this is the case, too, for Keat Hong division.
South View Primary School, Concord Primary School and Chua Chu Kang Primary School currently have a wait list for some students who wish to be transferred there. These include children who are currently studying in other nearby primary schools. For information, there are available vacancies in other nearby primary schools, such as Teck Whye Primary School and Kranji Primary School.