About half of Sec 1 student cohorts in affiliated secondary schools have no prior connections
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There are currently 27 secondary schools affiliated to primary schools.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO FILE
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SINGAPORE - About half of the Secondary 1 student cohorts in affiliated secondary schools came from non-affiliated primary schools in the past four years, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing.
This is more than double the requirement, since 2019, by the Ministry of Education (MOE) for affiliated secondary schools to reserve 20 per cent of their places for non-affiliated pupils.
In a written parliamentary reply to Mr Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC) on Feb 4, Mr Chan said that with MOE’s encouragement, some affiliated schools have “tightened” the minimum score requirements that pupils from affiliated primary schools need to meet to qualify for priority admission.
This has helped to provide greater access for their peers from non-affiliated schools, he added.
Mr Chua had asked about the percentage of secondary school places taken by affiliated primary school pupils since 2021, and the cut-off point difference between this group and those who are not affiliated. He had also asked if MOE would review this disparity.
There are currently 27 secondary schools affiliated to primary schools. At Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School, the cut-off point for the 2025 intake for non-affiliated pupils in posting group 3 was 10. For affiliated pupils, it was 20.
At St Joseph’s Institution, the cut-off point for the same cohort for non-affiliated pupils was eight, while for affiliated pupils, it was 12.
Mr Chan said the difference in cut-off points between both groups of pupils depends on their posting group.
Primary 6 pupils are sorted into three posting groups
In posting group 3, the average difference in cut-off points is about seven points, said Mr Chan. In posting groups 1 and 2, the difference is smaller – around two points and one point, respectively – because the cut-off point ranges in these groups are narrower, he added.
“While this may be the current balance that we have established for now, we will continue to adjust and make further refinements as time goes by and circumstances change, so that we can achieve the right balance for the future.”
Over the years, some have called for the school affiliation policy to be relooked, citing that this leads to an uneven playing field and the risk of forming closed circles where pupils enter affiliated secondary schools with a huge cut-off point advantage.
Mr Chan said MOE has made changes in the education system over time, as society matures and faces greater risks of becoming more stratified.
He acknowledged that there are competing policy tensions.
Students should be allocated to schools based on their strengths and interests, he said.
This has been made more possible with full subject-based banding being implemented
There are also educational merits to school affiliation, Mr Chan said.
“For example, the affiliation policy provides schools with a long history and distinctive culture with the opportunity to consistently imbue their school values, ethos and culture into their students over a longer period.”
At the same time, society should remain open and cohesive, and this starts from schools, he added.
“Even as we support the building of school culture, values and tradition, this must not come at the expense of social cohesion and what we stand for as a nation.”
