Primary 1 registration

Opposing Views

P1 registration changes: More stress for parents, or good for social mixing?

Many parents say the new P1 rules widen school options. Others lament the disruption to families who already moved homes.

P1 registration: Schools should be distinctive, but not exclusive

Access to a public school should not depend on whether a family can afford nearby housing, say the writers.

New rules for P1 registration could widen home search for parents eyeing popular schools

CHIJ (Katong) Primary School (centre) and Tao Nan Primary School (left) seen surrounded by private properties on Sept 11.

Parents say new P1 rules widen school options but disrupt plans for alumni, families who moved homes

Parents who moved homes to get their children into popular schools said the latest changes have disrupted plans they had made years in advance.

Will the changes to P1 registration move the needle in popular schools?

The changes will go some way in making popular primary schools more accessible and, with more diverse student mix, we can expect better social mixing, says the writer.

Primary 1 changes could improve diversity in popular schools but increase competition, say observers

The 60 places reserved for Phase 2C, along with any spots left over from earlier phases, will be split equally between two tracks: children who live within 2km of the school and those who live more than 2km away.

ST Explains

What the 2027 P1 registration changes mean for your child

The Education Ministry said the moves are intended to widen access to the schools and encourage greater mixing among students from different backgrounds.

P1 registration: More Phase 2C places from 2027; 12 schools to keep spots for kids living farther away

Twelve schools will split the 60 reserved places in Phase 2C into two tracks.

P1 priority for parent volunteers, 28 years on: Is it relevant – or fair?

The scheme has drawn criticism for its transactional nature that goes against the spirit of volunteerism, as well as for privileging parents with more means and time to spare.

Parent volunteer scheme for Primary 1 registration: How does it work?

Around one-third of primary schools currently offer the parent volunteer scheme, under which parents help out at a school to qualify for a chance at priority admission.

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MDDI (P) 046/10/2025. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2026 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.