Affiliated schools to reserve 20% of places for non-affiliated students from 2019: MOE

SINGAPORE — To strike a balance between ensuring open access to all students and recognising the importance of affiliation, all affiliated secondary schools will have to reserve 20 per cent of its Secondary One places for incoming students who do not have any affiliation priority from 2019.

Making the announcement on Tuesday (March 7) at the Education Ministry's (MOE) Committee of Supply debate, Education Minister (Schools) Ng Chee Meng said the move is a bid to ensure that such schools remain open to students from different backgrounds.

Currently, 27 secondary affiliated secondary schools offer students from their associated primary schools priority in the Secondary One posting exercise if they meet the school's minimum PSLE score requirement and indicate it as their first choice.

Responding to TODAY's queries, the MOE said that there is currently no cap on the number of affiliated students each school can take, subject to available vacancies.

However, it added that in recent years, some 19 to 21 of the affiliated schools already admit more than 20 per cent of non-affiliated students each year. Only six to eight schools take in less than 20 per cent of non-affiliated students every year.

While affiliation has its educational merits and fosters a strong school spirit and preserves the affiliated school's traditions and ethos, Mr Ng emphasised that there is also a need to ensure "that our schools are open to all students, regardless of their backgrounds or connections".

He pointed out that the changes are also an extension of MOE's policy of setting aside at least 40 places in every primary school for children without prior connection with the school.