PSLE results decide hot primary schools

I REFER to Tuesday's article, 'Speeding up single-session move'.

The reality is that some parents still look at PSLE results to enrol their children in popular schools. Sengkang Primary produced the top PSLE student in 2004, but the school has not been on the list of schools with at least one student getting more than 275 since then. Of the other neighbourhood schools mentioned in the article, Jurong Primary has made the list only once since 2004; North Vista, zero; Greendale, zero; Edgefield, once; Canberra, zero; Princess Elizabeth, twice. Only Rulang Primary has been consistent, making the list every year with the most popular schools.

Take another example - the Singapore Maths Olympiad for Primary Schools 2008. Nanyang Primary produced 12 pupils who won the platinum award, eight got gold, 14, silver and 11, bronze. Only Yew Tee and Princess Elizabeth had one or two students with platinum, gold and silver awards. Only at the bronze level do we see some neighbourhood schools, such as Canberra and Jurong Primary with one student each.

So you can clearly see why some parents go the extra mile to get their children into popular schools.

Khong Kiong Seng