I WISH to add to Monday's letter by Ms Ho Sulin ('Review volunteer priority for P1 places') that under the current rules, children from lower- to middle-income families are disadvantaged in several other ways when their parents are scouting for a primary school.

First, I agree with Ms Ho that students from higher-income families have an advantage when it comes to parent volunteerism and monetary donations to schools.

Second, the Ministry of Education (MOE) offers entrance priority to children living within a 2km radius of the schools. Most of the elite primary schools are located in premier districts, for instance, like Bukit Timah (Anglo Chinese Primary and Raffles Girls Primary). Only a select few, like Rosyth Primary, are located in heartland regions where lower- to middle-income families live.

Third, priority is given to children whose parents had prior links to the school. Many of the children whose parents have links to the elite schools come from higher-income families.

Fourth, having gained entrance to these popularly sought schools, the siblings of these better-off children will enjoy the sibling-priority advantage.

My concern is that the priority scheme may create an unintended vicious circle.

Better-off children are more likely to find places in the better schools, where they will get better resources.

For example, the elite schools have the funds to employ teachers who are of a higher calibre. They also have more money to fund other useful educational enrichment programmes.

With these advantages, they are more likely to achieve success later in life. Would this not widen the income gap?

Calvin Ng

This article was first published in The Straits Times.