CELEBRITIES should not expect any preferential treatment when registering their children for Primary One, said principals.

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Nanyang Primary School (NYPS) principal Heng Boey Hong said most parents volunteer their services two years before their children get to Primary One, 'but many will write in to request to be a volunteer way before that'.

Principals of St Margaret's Primary School, Marymount Convent School and Kong Hwa School also said that celebrities or not, parents must put in the required amount of hours as stated by the school.

Marymount Convent's principal, Mrs Angela Tan, added that all parent volunteers have to clock in and out manually in the school,and the hours put in are 'very, very transparent'.

The school requires parent volunteers to put in 40 hours of work.

St Margaret's principal Mrs Elsie Poey added that if applications exceed vacancies in any of the phases from Phase 2A(1) to Phase 2CSupplementary, the schools would conduct a ballot (See below.).

Parents can witness the ballot, so the procedure is transparent.

The girls' school has taught daughters of ambassadors, but out of respect for privacy, it does not capitalise onit for the school's publicity.

NYPS' Madam Heng admitted that having the children of public figures in the school does bring good publicity to the school.

Kong Hwa vice-principal Lim Cheng Liew, however, said that publicity though word of mouth by a non-celebrity parent is just as effective and gratifying as the publicity gained from a celebrity parent.

Phases of Primary One Registration

Phase1:

For children who have a sibling in the school

Phase2A(1):

For children whose parent is a former student, or member of the alumni association, or whose parent is a member of the school advisory/management Committee.

Phase2A(2):

For children whose parent or sibling was a student of the school, or whose parent is a staff of the school

Phase2B(2):

For children whose parent has done at least 40 hours of voluntary service, or whose parent is a member endorsed by the church/clan directly connected with the school, or whose parent is endorsed as an active community leader

Phase2C:

For children who are ineligible for or unsuccessful in earlier phases

Phase2C supplementary:

For kids who were unsuccessful in gaining a place at Phase2C

Phase3:

For children of foreigners.

At the end of Phase 2A(2), 50 per cent of the remaining places will be allocated for Phase 2B and the other 50 per cent for Phase2C registrants.

This article was first published in The New Paper.