Opinions of the Primary School Registration System

[verykiasu2010]

That's not fair..

nothing unfair

a citizen is a citizen, regardless born or converted, or the length of citizenship held prior to pri 1 registration

be less xenophobic, and don't try to split hair

[chu]

They may be PRC but their child could be SC. so they still get the SC benefits during balloting. it's the child's nationality that matters not the parents.

unlikely the child could be SC without the parents becoming SC. there is no basis for the child to qualify as SC

When a child wants to be a SC, 1 parent must convert to SC. That's what I know from my colleague who have done so.

[sawakoh]

They may be PRC but their child could be SC. so they still get the SC benefits during balloting. it's the child's nationality that matters not the parents.

unlikely the child could be SC without the parents becoming SC. there is no basis for the child to qualify as SC

Exactly. At least one parent has to be a SC before the child can be a SC. Singapore does not recognize birthright citizenship. That is, being born in Singapore does not in itself confer the SC to the child. A child can only be a SC at birth if both parents are SC at registration, or by descent if at least one parent is a SC. I'm a Singaporean at birth. My kids are SC by descent as I'm a SC. My spouse was a PR then and just converted to SC recently.

[pirate]

They may be PRC but their child could be SC. so they still get the SC benefits during balloting. it's the child's nationality that matters not the parents.

unlikely the child could be SC without the parents becoming SC. there is no basis for the child to qualify as SC

Exactly. At least one parent has to be a SC before the child can be a SC. Singapore does not recognize birthright citizenship. That is, being born in Singapore does not in itself confer the SC to the child. A child can only be a SC at birth if both parents are SC at registration, or by descent if at least one parent is a SC. I'm a Singaporean at birth. My kids are SC by descent as I'm a SC. My spouse was a PR then and just converted to SC recently.

Technically speaking, a child born in Singapore is a SC at birth so long as at least one parent is a SC unless the father is a foreign diplomat. Citizenship by descent only applies to children born outside Singapore. See Article 121 and 122 of the Constitution.

[phtthp]

got one case. He's a Malaysian, said his 4 year old daughter hold SG citizenship but no need to give up Malaysian citizenship. He said by age 21 when his daughter grow up, then she got to decide which citizenship she want. He said his girl will use SC status to apply into Primary school, when time is due.

but i forgot to ask whether his wife is SG or Malaysian.

[tankee]

Under the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore,


Citizenship by birth

121.

(1) Subject to this Article, every person born in Singapore after 16th September 1963 shall be a citizen of Singapore by birth.

(2) A person shall not be a citizen of Singapore by virtue of clause (1) if at the time of his birth
(a) his father, not being a citizen of Singapore, possessed such immunity from suit and legal process as is accorded to an envoy of a sovereign power accredited to the President;
(b) his father was an enemy alien and the birth occurred in a place then under the occupation of the enemy; or
(c) neither of his parents was a citizen of Singapore.

(3) Notwithstanding clause (2)(c), the Government may, where it considers it just and fair and having regard to all the circumstances prevailing at the time of the application, confer citizenship upon a person born in Singapore.

[tankee]

I have heard of cases of couples of foreign PR, the wife & child would take up citizenship to enjoy maternity benefits and primary school registration, and planning to denounce both citizenship at a later year.

while i am sure that such cases are few and far in between, and ICA would probably raise questions since it is not a case of both spouse taking citizenship. in the past, such cases may have slipped through, but I would like to think that it is much harder to slip through ICA these days.

[zakashi]

Nope zakashi .... I wouldn't actually. I have integrity. What about you? I believe in playing within the rules.... Either you buy at that address rightfully by investing the money, and therefore earn the right to send your kid to the school in question or just send your kid where your true registered address is. It's simple as that. Anything else is underhanded and will be punished if found out will be severely punished.

I have several people whom I know did that and they were not caught. The system is really bad. We have less chance of getting into the school
because of such plan. We just have to pray for God's favour than.

[LOLMum]

I have several people whom I know did that and they were not caught. The system is really bad. We have less chance of getting into the school
because of such plan. We just have to pray for God's favour than.

the system is not bad. they can be caught if you are willing report these people you know to the authorities.

[PhoBIA]

would any parents allow themselves be persuaded?

I don't think any parents at P2B can be persuaded/discouraged not to register. Why would anyone give up the chance if they had already put in at least 40 hours of hard work.

In P2C, school discouraging parents staying > 2km or 1-2km from enrollng could be highly likely. If the number of applicants < 1km has already exceeded the no. vacancies, it's a sound advise.