SINGAPORE - Singaporean children who are returning from overseas and wish to join the secondary schools, junior colleges or Millennia Institute at the beginning of academic year 2014 may register from July 17. They will need to take one set of centralised tests in October and November, for admission to secondary schools and pre-university institutions respectively.
Here is the full press statement from the Ministry of Education (MOE):
School Placement Exercise
1. The 2013 School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans (SPERS) is open for registration from July 17 2013 for Singaporean children who are returning from overseas and wish to join our secondary schools, junior colleges (JC) or Millennia Institute (MI) at the beginning of academic year 2014.
2. SPERS is a centralised placement exercise held at the end of the year for Returning Singaporeans (RS). With SPERS, Singaporean parents working abroad can look forward to easier re-entry into the mainstream school system for their children when they return to Singapore. RS children will only need to sit for one set of centralised SPERS tests for school admission.
3. RS children seeking admission to Secondary (Sec) 1 to 3 in 2014 can take the SPERS-Sec tests on Oct 10 2013. RS seeking admission to Pre-University (Pre-U) 1 can take the SPERS-JC/MI tests on Nov 21, 2013. As Sec 4 and Pre-U 2 are national examination years, RS generally would not re-join at these levels. Applicants will receive their school placement results in December 2013 and will be able to join our secondary schools and JC/MI at the start of the school term in early 2014.
Supplementary Placement Exercise
4. For RS who are unable to return in time to take the SPERS-Sec tests in October 2013, MOE will also conduct a Supplementary Placement Exercise in December 2013 to facilitate their admission into our secondary schools. The centralised tests for the Supplementary Placement Exercise will be held in late December 2013 and applicants will receive their school placement results in early February 2014 for school admissions from February 2014.
Registration for the Supplementary Placement Exercise will open in October 2013.
5. While RS can choose to take part in either the SPERS-Sec or the Supplementary Placement Exercise, RS are advised to register for SPERS-Sec if they are able to return in October as their children would benefit from starting the academic year 2014 in January together with their peers.
Information/Registration Website
6. For more details and registration, please refer to the MOE RS website at http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissions/returning-singaporeans/ or contact us at the following:
MOE Customer Service Centre
1 North Buona Vista Drive
Email: MOE_RETURNHOME@MOE.GOV.SG
Tel: 6872 2220
7. RS who are unable to participate in the centralised placement exercises may also wish to refer to the MOE RS website or contact MOE for other options for school admission.
8. RS seeking admission to primary schools may approach MOE at any time of the year for assistance. MOE will offer the RS a place in a primary school with vacancies near the child’s home at a level appropriate for the child’s age cohort. The RS will not have to sit for any placement test for admission, although the primary school may conduct assessment tests after admission to ascertain the child’s current attainment level and provide the appropriate assistance to help the child settle into the school.