All About Parent Volunteers (PV)

[bitchymum]

jan1003:

ChiefKiasu:

[quote=\"jan1003\"]hi Im new here.


My initial idea is to send my son to a neighbourhood school but changed my mind recently. I would like to apply for Kong Hwa which is about 1.5 km from my place.

He is due for registration in 2010. I would like to be a parent volunteer but i missed the date as the official period is from 1st July to 30th june. Is MOE very strict on the date? or any way to get around it?

PV is under the purview of the schools themselves, but the schools must also maintain fairness in the process. Most calls for PVs end at the end of June each year, and some even as early as December of the previous year. You can try the Hokkien Huay Kuan, or join the GRC's grassroots organisation if you still plan on getting in during Phase 2B next year.

thanks. i guess i have to join RC as neither my husband nor myself is hokkien.[/quote]If I am not wrong, you need to join RC for two years before you are eligible for phase 2B. So if you registration is next year, then you are not eligible to register too .... pls double check again.

[3Boys]

KSP:

I totally agreed with you for this P1 registration process.

So long as there are poplular and not so poplular schools exist, this unfair situation will stay.

The only way people can gain advantage of this is from their status and money. This is true in many areas and not only for P1 registration. I also know there are ministers staying around Bukit Timah area to get their children or grandchildren to good schools.

So commoner parents like me will have to find hard for small little \"loopholes\" here and there to get the their kids into the school of choice.

The P1 registration system is definitely stacked. It seems churlish to be dismissive of it since it has helped me, but the whole exercise really needs to be looked at properly so that nobody is disadvantaged. The only real consideration should be home-school distance (and they should make the circle a bit bigger), and perhaps parents with long-standing affiliations. Everyone else would ballot. I would probably have ended up in a balloting situation, but fair is fair, I would be happy to live with it.

[marvic]

bitchymum:

If I am not wrong, you need to join RC for two years before you are eligible for phase 2B. So if you registration is next year, then you are not eligible to register too .... pls double check again.

For RC, I heard at least 1 year.

[marvic]

shaynamommy:

Hey, 3 boys, you are already very lucky to be selected as PV. I have doubts about the transparency of the PV selection process too. But I guess I am not an investment guru, BIg 4 accounting firm partner nor hotshot TV actor, hence, it is unlikely that my application would be accepted.


Come to think of it, doesn't the PV scheme and the general P1 registration process promote elitism? Look at the type of students who can make it to the top famous primary schools in Singapore
1. The ex-students of the famous schools (who should be doing well since they are from a good school);
2. children of the successful and famous since only their parents are likely to be selected as PV ;
3. those who can afford to stay within 1km of the famous schools (which has thus boosted the real estate prices in the locality).

Sour grapes indeed, but this is indeed the heartache of many parents from the non-elite group. I guess life is never fair, so too bad....

Sorry guys I have to disagree. I personally know of people around me, who are neither famous nor celebrity nor rich at all. Just normal neighbourhood heartlanders, who successfully got into phase 2B by either joining as PV or RC members.

While I do agree that the process of joining these groups may need some extra effort, sometimes it is a matter of recommendation or through somebody you know to bring you in. But not all cases are like that. In fact I would think it is only the minority cases. Majority cases, it is to be fair, otherwise the person in charge would be worried.

Anyway this happens everywhere, even in job interviews. No matter what, connection is still very important in every aspect of our lives.

[sysherlene]

Hi, can anyone tell me if register for PV, usually by when will get reply. Cos my friend register to be a PV, but till now still have not receive any reply. Thanks!!

[bitchymum]

sysherlene:

Hi, can anyone tell me if register for PV, usually by when will get reply. Cos my friend register to be a PV, but till now still have not receive any reply. Thanks!!

We can't answer this question, different schools different policies. She has to call up the school herself to find out.

[sysherlene]

Thanks very much. Will tell her to call the school asap. My son is registering under Phase 2C this year. Can really feel the tension now.

[Luanee]

marvic:

Sorry guys I have to disagree. I personally know of people around me, who are neither famous nor celebrity nor rich at all. Just normal neighbourhood heartlanders, who successfully got into phase 2B by either joining as PV or RC members.


While I do agree that the process of joining these groups may need some extra effort, sometimes it is a matter of recommendation or through somebody you know to bring you in. But not all cases are like that. In fact I would think it is only the minority cases. Majority cases, it is to be fair, otherwise the person in charge would be worried.

Anyway this happens everywhere, even in job interviews. No matter what, connection is still very important in every aspect of our lives.

Yeah marvic, I am neither rich nor famous and I stay in a HDB flat. The only offical post I am holding now is one of KS forum's class monitor. Yet I managed to get selected as a PV in an elite school.

[happy to be mum]

[Moderator's note: Topics merged.]


would appreciate deeply if someone can enhighlten me.

I understand for some of the \"hot schs\"...even in Phrase 2B as a parent volunteer also requires balloting, for eg; for St Hilda this yr..those that are in Phrase 2B but stay more than 2km away need to ballot, those within 1-2km all got in. For those that are unlucky and did not get the place, will they automatically get a place in Phrase 2C or they have to join in the rest of the crowd at Phrase 2C with no special privilege for doing PV earlier? Then they would not even stand a chance to ballot cause they are staying more than 2km?

*sign*..tried to be a PV at st hilda cuz it is so near to my place..within 1km... but did not manage to get in...very disappointing wondering whether to take the risk to ballot at Phrase 2C next yr! quite scary though to think to ballot!

[titank]

happy to be mum:

[Moderator's note: Topics merged.]


would appreciate deeply if someone can enhighlten me.

I understand for some of the \"hot schs\"...even in Phrase 2B as a parent volunteer also requires balloting, for eg; for St Hilda this yr..those that are in Phrase 2B but stay more than 2km away need to ballot, those within 1-2km all got in. For those that are unlucky and did not get the place, will they automatically get a place in Phrase 2C or they have to join in the rest of the crowd at Phrase 2C with no special privilege for doing PV earlier? Then they would not even stand a chance to ballot cause they are staying more than 2km?

*sign*..tried to be a PV at st hilda cuz it is so near to my place..within 1km... but did not manage to get in...very disappointing wondering whether to take the risk to ballot at Phrase 2C next yr! quite scary though to think to ballot!

Since no chance of balloting as you are more than 2km away, it is recommend to look for other schools as backup plan!