'Is it worth it?': Foreign family's child faces 1.5h commute to primary school
Netizens noted that it is very difficult for foreigners to get into a local school.
A TikTok post about a foreigner whose child was assigned a place at a local public school 1.5h away from their home by public transport has triggered a discussion about primary school allocations.
In the post, user delossantos.sg shared details of the situation, asking a pointed question: "Is it worth it?"
The post was titled "Foreigner Family Problems", and the caption raised questions about the long commute: "But it definitely is a problem if a seven-year-old travels around three hours to and from school. What are the implications if they forgo their slot?"
According to the Ministry of Education, parents of children entering Primary 1 may have to ballot for spots in oversubscribed schools, with priority given based on factors such as proximity and citizenship status.
Netizens suggest moving closer to the school
The post had garnered over 466,400 views and 9,900 likes at press time.
Some netizens said that the family should "be grateful", and that the child was "lucky" to get a spot in a local public school.
Others insisted the commute was worth it: "There are children from Johor making their way to study in Singapore every day."
One user who identified themselves as a preschool teacher noted that it is difficult for foreigners to secure a place in public schools.
"The quota for foreigners is very little. If your friend thinks that to get a public education is something that is worth it, I'd say it'll be a huge loss if you were to give it away," the netizen said.
Others pointed out that foreign school fees are high, suggesting that the family move closer to the school, or transfer to a different school at the end of the year.
"Travelling long distances takes a toll in the long run," one user commented.
Another suggested carpooling with other parents to save travel time and transport costs.
"Many move homes to be near the kid's school. My clients even plan their next home based on where their kids would study at," said a user.