FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

What is the Compulsory Education Act?
* All Singapore Citizens born after 1 January 1996 and living in Singapore must attend a national primary school unless an exemption is granted. Exemption include being granted approval to be home-schooled or attending a designated school such as any of the four full-time madrasahs offering primary level education.

If my child missed the Madrasah Entrance Test on the scheduled date, will there be another date for him/her to sit for the test?
* As has been the practice in previous years, no alternative dates will be provided for your child. This includes genuine reasons for missing the test, such as being sick on that day proven with a valid Medical Certificate or being late due to circumstances out of your control. For those who missed the Madrasah Entrance Test, they will no longer be eligible to appeal for a place during the appeal window period.

What happens during the appeal window period?
* If your child was unsuccessful in getting a place at the madrasah your child had applied to for the Madrasah Entrance Test, you can choose to appeal during the appeal period via the madrasah’s website. You may declare your interest to be considered by other madrasahs. Madrasahs will come together to consider applicants from other madrasahs to fill in the remaining vacancies still available for next year’s intake. The result for the appeal is final.

What happens during the registration week?
* All successful applicants are to register at the respective madrasahs. For Singaporeans, they will be required to complete the application for Certificate of Exemption form.
For international students, they will be required to apply for their student’s pass. For more information, please check with the respective madrasahs during registration.

Why should my child apply for a place in the national schools, when I am only interested to send my child in the madrasahs?
* Parents are recommended to proceed with registering their child into a national school during the specific registration phase if they have not received a confirmation of their admission into the madrasah. This is recommended because:
– Limited spaces are available in the madrasahs and usually about half of the applicants will not be successful in their application for a place in the madrasahs
– Under the Compulsory Education Act, Singaporeans at the age of 7 must attend either a national school, a madrasah/designated school or received approval for home-schooling by MOE
– Applicants applying at both a madrasah and a national school will not be penalised for either applications due to them being different admission exercises
While it is especially crucial for Singaporean applicants to have secured a place in the national school or madrasah by law, non-Singaporean applicants are also encouraged to secure a place in the national schools to ensure that they will be able to secure the most preferred option among the national schools available.

What should I do if my child is successful in securing a place in both a madrasah and a national school but wish to enrol my child in the madrasah only?
* For Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, they will be able to make a withdrawal request at the national school that they had registered to at any time during the dates of the various national school registration phases. If the registration phases have ended, they should inform the school that they wish to withdraw before coming down to the school.
When making the withdrawal, parents should bring all identification documents, and the certificate of exemption from Compulsory Education (if they have it already). Parents should also notify MOE’s Compulsory Education unit at [email protected] on their decision to withdraw from the national school.
For international students, as their registration phase only begins in October, they will only be required to submit their withdrawal of interest via the online form available on the MOE website.