Calm before the Storm

It is sad for me to reveal the bad things happening in our civil service. I could have just taken my son away from here and live happily ever after. What happens to the rest of you is not my business. I see many of you slogging to feed your family, pay your bills and sparing no expenses to give your children a good education. You are the good, obedient citizens who don't know your rights and benefits are being given away ............

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Andy initially wanted his wife Christine and his girls to come over to Singapore in June but changed it to October. Then to January 2003 when he heard me mentioned that primary schools would still conduct entrance tests during the school term. It was all well calculated, mainly to save money. But I warned him that he would be taking a risk as the schools conduct entrance tests based on availablility of vacancies.


In October 2002, when I met up with Andy, he told me he took the girls out of ICA, which is a well-known girls' school for the rich and influential in Manila. Christine was tutoring them using the assessment books which they had bought in Singapore. Cindy was preparing for Primary 2 and Kimberly was preparing for Primary 5.


Andy wanted me to schedule the entrance tests with several primary schools within a week in November. He would fly the girls in, take the tests and return to Manila to wait for results. Should they be accepted, I would help with the processing of their student passes. The girls would return to Singapore to commence school in January 2003.


A few days before his arrival, I called him to say I couldn't arrange entrance tests for his daughters as the schools didn't have vacancies. I suggested Cindy come to Singapore with Mom while Kimberly stay in Manila to complete her Grade 6 as her final semester exam is in March. By continuing her studies for another 2-3 months, she would be able to sit for Secondary 1 entrance test. My suggestion was turned down because 'Kimberly has told her classmates she is going to Singapore to study. It would be embarrassing if she returns to ICA to face her classmates and teachers again.'


Andy then suggested falsifying the report card by filling in the girls' final semester results. That on Kimberly's report card was left blank because she left ICA after the first semester. Andy told me he knew someone working in ICA, by giving her a small amount of money, he could have the school stamp on the report card. He added he could forge the principal's signature. I was horrified to hear that and reminded him that the Singapore Government takes fraud very seriously. Well, I thought it did then.

They wanted top schools. At that time, there was this CQT (Centralised Qualifying Test) which qualified candidates for the top 30 schools in Singapore. All their kids failed so they had to settle for heartland schools. We found schools for them but they turned them all down. Then they tried to find their own schools. I think at that time, they had it all planned out.

They went to Bedok North Secondary School to see Mrs Kong. Kimberly was accepted into Secondary 1 Express. I couldn't believe my ears! She had only Primary 5 standard. The first thought that crossed my mind was 'Has MOE set new rules?' Next, did Andy falsify his daughter's report card?

Immediately, my husband called Yvonne Tan, the Operations Manager of BNSS. He notified her of Kimberly's qualification before they processed the Letter of Acceptance. Yvonne said,"The school has the right to decide who to accept for students." Kimberly attended school on 4th February 2003.

Kimberly was elated and called all her friends in Manila that she got into a secondary school. I then received a call from Manila from a father who wanted me to get his son into Secondary 1 Express, just like Kimberly. His son was in Grade 5 too and he was eager to send his son over immediately. I turned him down because this could not be happening.

I sent an email to MOE.