Residential Address and Access to Schools in Southeast Asia

Across Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, residential address plays an important role in school admissions, prompting some families to relocate, rent homes near preferred schools or alter their registered addresses. These practices have raised questions about whether access to desirable schools is equally available to all families.

In Singapore, some parents begin planning their housing arrangements years before Primary 1 registration. From 2027, most primary schools will increase the number of Phase 2C places from 40 to 60. At 12 schools located mainly in private residential areas, these places will be divided equally between applicants living within and beyond 2km of the school, with the aim of encouraging greater social mixing.

Associate Professor Jason Tan from NIE observed that the admissions framework encourages parents to strategise around factors such as residential proximity, alumni connections and school volunteering—criteria that largely do not relate to the individual child. While giving priority to nearby residents is understandable for young pupils, he noted that wealthier families have an advantage because they are better able to relocate or rent homes near their preferred schools.

Similar concerns arise in Malaysia and Indonesia. Malaysian families may weigh school preferences alongside housing costs and commuting needs, while lower-income and rural households often have fewer choices. In Indonesia, where residential proximity determines a substantial proportion of public-school places, uneven school quality has led some parents to use relatives’ or workplace addresses, or falsify residency information.

The regional comparison highlights a shared challenge: balancing convenience and community-based enrolment with equitable access, particularly when families’ financial resources shape their ability to choose schools.

Read the original article on South China Morning Post and Vietnam.vn.