Direct School Admission must be accessible to all: Chan

Schools can do more to look out for less privileged students with potential, he says

- Elisha Tushara

The Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme must be accessible to the broad swathe of students, and not just those from families with more resources, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing.

Responding to a question on whether the Ministry of Education (MOE) is thinking about reviewing DSA, Mr Chan said: "The answer must be yes. As Singaporeans, we constantly have to think of how to improve our system. Never believe that any system is perfect." He made these remarks at a dialogue with more than 440 youth leaders from uniformed groups in Singapore, at the opening ceremony of the National Camp, at Maju Camp on Aug 22.

"Today, there are many people who can apply for DSA to go to schools, and many of them tend to come from families who are more well-resourced," said Mr Chan.

He added that schools can do more to look out for students with potential, but who may not have the necessary resources.

"This will require us to help our teachers to spot those talented students, in those diverse fields, even though they may come from less privileged backgrounds." These comments come after allegations about a basketball coach taking money to secure pupils' admissions into secondary schools came to light in July.