Homeschooling in Singapore

Hi, this info was posted by Sarah T from the Singapore Homeschool Yahoo group. I thought it was very useful info and I got her permission to repost it here.

"My children are seven so this is the first year I am officially
homeschooling them. Here are two things I had to do concerning health
screening and bus/train concession card that I thought will be useful
information to all.

1. Health Screening.

Make an appointment at
Health Promotion Board
Second Hospital Ave
Student Health Centre
by calling 6435 3895 or 6435 3894.
I got an appointment date that was about 5 weeks later.

2. TransitLink Consession Card

Send an application to

TransitLink PTE LTD
9 Maxwell Road #03-02
MND Complex
Annexe A
Singapore 069112

explaining that you homeschool and give the date of birth and B.C.
numbers of your child.

Attach a passport size photograph of your child and copies of the
following documents:

1. Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Education issued by
Ministry of Education
2. Birth certificate of your child
3. Parent's NRIC

I handed in my application at a Card Replacement Office located at
Jurong East Bus Terminal. There are a few other Card Replacement Offices
at other locations. You could probably mail in your application. They
will take about 5 working days to make your card. You collect your card
from their main office at Maxwell Road. Note: The child concession
EZLink card that your child is using during the preschool years will
expire on 30 April the year your child turns seven. So you have to apply
for you student concession card before then."


Regards,
Priscilla

With regard to the Transitlink Concession Card, it should be noted that the validity is for only one year. Therefore, at the end of each year, you should submit form Appendix G 'APPLICATION FOR THE EXTENSION OF CONCESSION VALIDITY OF STUDENT CONCESSION CARD (HOME-SCHOOLER)'.

Hope that completes the picture.

Cheers
Martin

Hi,
I refer to an earlier post about health screening for P1 students. May I know what is the purpose and is it compulsory?

tks

Priscilla

One purpose is a quick check on various parameters such as weight, health, teeth and eyes to see whether the child needs to be referred to other professionals for further investigation. My understanding is that this is compulsory for P1 students at national schools.

Another purpose is vaccination. This is compulsory by law for all children, whether at national schools or homeschooled. See:

http://www.nir.hpb.gov.sg/nir/eservices/eservice.jsp

Good health!
Martin

The current concession cards expire at the end of September [2009]. Nationwide, a replacement exercise is going on.

The replacement exercise for state school students started in February. No communication, naturally, was made to homeschooled students.

I have been pestering Transitlink and they have finally indicated that they are still in the progress of producing the CEPAS concession cards for Home Schoolers. They state that once ready the cards are ready, Home Schoolers Concession Card holders will be informed by mail regarding the exchange of their existing card to a CEPAS-compliant ez-link card.

I am monitoring the situation and will update when I have news.

See:
http://www.ezlink.com.sg/corporate/corp_2009.5.jsp

Cheers
Martin

Great work, Martin!

Those with Exemption papers from the MOE seem to get the student cards quite easily, but dozens and dozens of families -- particularly expat kids -- have been paying full-price rates for too long. I have never undestood why it is a 'student card' rather than a 'youth card' in any case

Hi Littly

Transitlink has recently given my case personal attention and I received the CEPAS card last week.

Coming from Europe, I agree with your sentiments about youth card versus student card. Perhaps some entities in Singapore perceive building up customer goodwill in different ways to you and me.

Martin

Note that the second set of immunisations is now done in P5, not P6 as previously.

http://hpb.gov.sg/studenthealth/article.aspx?id=630