THREE new primary schools will open in Punggol next year to help meet the growing demand for school places in the area.
Oasis Primary in Edgefield Plains, Punggol Cove Primary in Sumang Walk, and Waterway Primary in Punggol Drive will be able to take in 210 pupils each.
The new schools are located near a number of housing projects. Waterway Primary, for instance, is located near the Waterway Sunbeam as well as Waterway Sunray, which is still under construction.
The addition of the schools will bring the total number of primary schools in Punggol to nine.
Punggol has seen rapid development in recent years and, with many young families moving there, demand for school places has grown.
To bring the schools up to speed, the Education Ministry has appointed veteran educators to lead the new schools.
Mrs Ong-Chew Lu See, the current principal of Naval Base Primary in Yishun, will head Oasis Primary. Opera Estate Primary's principal Dennis Yap Swee Beng will move to helm Punggol Cove Primary, while Mrs Wee-Kwan Liam, principal of Xingnan Primary, will head Waterway Primary.
Mrs Ong-Chew, 48, said developing leadership skills in pupils is an area she wants to focus on.
"Apart from academic results, imbuing the right values in the pupils is also important," she said.
The addition of the three schools will lift the total number of primary schools in Singapore back to 190. Last year, six primary schools merged into three owing to falling enrolment.
Parents can register their children in Oasis Primary, Punggol Cove Primary and Waterway Primary at Horizon Primary, Punggol View Primary and Greendale Primary respectively next month.
Punggol resident Andy Lee, 40, plans to register his daughter in Mee Toh School, an existing school in Punggol
"Mee Toh is very popular. If my daughter can't get in, we will have to consider other schools," he said.
"Distance is very important, but I also hope the school will have a school-based childcare centre."
Primary 1 registration will start on July 2 and end on Aug 27.
But registration for the three new schools will begin from Phase 2B, as the first few phases are not applicable to new schools.
The earlier Phase 1 and Phase 2A start on July 2 and July 7 respectively, and are for siblings of current and former pupils of the school, or for children whose parents attended the school.
Phase 2B starts on July 20 and is for children whose parents have volunteered in schools, have links to churches or clan associations, or are active community members. Phase 2C, for those with no links to schools, starts on July 29.
All primary schools will open for registration from 8am to 11am and from 2.30pm to 4.30pm from Mondays to Fridays during the registration period.
More information on primary school registration can be found at www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissions/primary-one-registration/
