I agree with what has been shared about the importance of alumni and the traditions left behind by former students.
But are we giving the correct weighting to the importance of alumni?
Of course, every school has a set capacity and there should be meaningful requirements regarding the intake of pupils.
However, the discussion is about a public education system, not a private one.
A father leaving an inheritance to his child is a private arrangement. But what of a parent "leaving" a school affiliation to his child?
Maybe it is time for the Education Ministry to rationalise the various stages of Primary 1 registration, and review whether they are still relevant today.
Does it make sense for a school in, say, Jurong, to give priority to the child of an alumnus who lives in Punggol? Is it fair that the child of a parent who spends time volunteering at a school is given lower priority than the child of another parent who attended that school 30 or 40 years ago?
No one wishes to pay the same amount of school fees but have a lower chance of getting good results. Making every school a good school is a noble ambition, but fulfilling it requires action and change.
Raymond Chen Yixian
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