No Land for Sporns, but 7 Sites for Foreign Schools

[makapaaa]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Still wanna doubt where the Familee's allegiance is placed? NS for Sporns, LARGE schools for FTrash! Well done, PAPee + 66% coolie rice bowls!


7 sites for foreign schools <!--10 min-->
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Jane Ng
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Many international schools are full, and popular ones have long waiting lists. All the current eight schools here have either expanded or will do so in the next few years. -- ST PHOTO: SAMUEL HE
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->TO HELP ease the shortage of places in international schools due to the booming expatriate population here, the Government has set aside seven state buildings and land parcels for use as foreign schools.
Four of them are existing vacant school buildings and the other three are vacant land.
The sites were selected based on locality, convenience, availability, space and ease of adaptability.
The available buildings are the former Upper Serangoon Secondary School in Upper Serangoon Road, Nan Chiau High School in Kim Yan Road, Fuchun Primary School in Woodlands Centre Road and Jurong Town Primary School in Hu Ching Road.
With the exception of the Upper Serangoon Road property, the rest will be let out on an initial three-year tenancy, with option to renew for another two terms.
The land parcels - at Yishun Avenue 1, Hougang Avenue 1 and Bukit Batok Road - have a lease period of 30 years.
The Economic Development Board (EDB) and Singapore Land Authority (SLA) are inviting interested schools to submit proposals for them.
One of the requirements is that classes must start by next year.
The proposals will also be assessed on factors like quality of project, ability to meet market demand and investment commitments.
Interested schools are invited to submit proposals for specific sites with each school allowed to submit proposals for more than one site.
'This is a request-for-Interest exercise, and does not constitute an offer,' said a statement from the EDB and SLA on Tuesday.
"The Singapore Government reserves the right to decide whether to proceed with awarding the sites at the end of the exercise, and to vary the specifications of the sites at its discretion.'
The statements said Singapore's strong economic growth over the years has attracted an influx of foreign talent relocating here. This has led to a sharp increase in demand for foreign schools.
Many international schools are full, and popular ones have long waiting lists. All the current eight schools here have either expanded or will do so in the next few years.
The number of expatriates here went up nearly 10 per cent in just one year, from 798,000 in 2005 to 875,500 in 2006, going by latest available figures.
The demand for places in international schools is expected to grow.
A survey done by the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (AmCham) among its member companies last year found that a third - or 22 out of 68 - would be expanding their expatriate headcounts here by about 200 within the next three years.
These employees have about 300 children who will need places in international schools here.
EDB and SLA on Tuesday said the latest initiative is in response to the demand for foreign schools. So far, 19 international schools are using state properties as campuses.
Some examples include the Canadian International School, United World College of South East Asia, International Community School, and Avondale Grammar School.
Mr Teo Cher Hian, Director of SLA's Land Operations (Private) Division, said: 'SLA recognises that foreign system schools are an important infrastructure to attract global talents to live and work in Singapore. Adapting former vacant schools for use as FSS not only optimises land resources, it also provides immediate solutions to cater to the growing demand since they are purpose-built with playfields and other ancillary facilities.'
Added Mr Toh Wee Khiang, Director of Education and Professional Services, Economic Development Board: 'This request-for-interest will not be a one-off exercise for us and we will continue to strengthen our competitive advantages as a global education hub by attracting more FSS to Singapore in line with market demand.' More information is found on the EDB website http://www.sedb.com.

 

[tommy]

Singapore becoming more ang mor ??

 

[molly]

The number of expatriates here went up nearly 10 per cent in just one year, from 798,000 in 2005 to 875,500 in 2006, going by latest available figures.

One report said there are 1 million foreigners in Singapore. This one said there are 875,500 expatriates in Singapore. That leaves 124,500 foreigners who are non-expatriates.

There can't be that few non-expatriates foreigners in Singapore. Either this or there are more than 1 million foreigners in Singapore

 

[ahbengsong]

One report said there are 1 million foreigners in Singapore. This one said there are 875,500 expatriates in Singapore. That leaves 124,500 foreigners who are non-expatriates.

There can't be that few non-expatriates foreigners in Singapore. Either this or there are more than 1 million foreigners in Singapore

You are correct in your observation.... definitions are liberally distorted by the pap that statistics become meaningless... taking for example the term 'singaporean' where PRs are also call as one...

I doubt the 875,000 are all expats.... the pap may just anyhow reclassify some of them as expats to make it sound like they are talents.... in reality.. we know there are many fake talents in sgp... fake talents are cheap foreign labor disguised as talents....

beng

 

[hughgrant]

so many ang mos, nowadays i go clark quay i think i'm in australia or somewhere in europe

 

[sponge05]

Mr Teo Cher Hian, Director of SLA's Land Operations (Private) Division, said: 'SLA recognises that foreign system schools are an important infrastructure to attract global talents to live and work in Singapore.

I feel all these is the GOV trying to established themselves as an education hub. Besides the international schools, there are more & more foreign Universities and private schools setting up "regional offices here".

 

[counsel]

This government is becoming more pro FT

 

[makapaaa]

Singapore becoming more ang mor ??

This is certainly what the Grand Emperor is hoping for. He feels shiok that he can rule over his ex-colonial masters - or at least appear to be doing so, even if it means *paying* them to come to his lalaland.

 

[zack123]

My child will be of school going age. I was looking at alternative form of education apart from the govt schools which I find rather rigid. I find that the fees for international schools are very steep.

Hope that with increase in demand, the prices will be going south soon

 

[zack123]

Increase in supply i mean