SINGAPORE – More parents have been caught providing false residential addresses in the past five years, to secure spots for their children in popular primary schools.

While the Ministry of Education (MOE) used to investigate an average of around one case a year between 2008 and 2018, this figure then jumped to about nine cases annually from 2020 to 2024. There were no cases reported in 2019.

A 41-year-old woman was charged on June 5 for allegedly lying about her home address to enrol her daughter in a primary school.

According to court documents, the woman gave false information to the principal and vice-principal of the school between June and September 2024, during a Primary 1 registration exercise.

“The MOE takes a serious view of parents providing false information for the purpose of enrolling their child in a particular school under the Primary 1 registration exercise,” said the ministry on June 13, in response to queries from The Straits Times.

It added that the increase of cases in the past five years in non-compliance cases could be due to a “combination of factors” including public awareness, checks by schools and whistleblower feedback.

MOE said it investigates all reported cases of non-compliance, including cases where parents rent properties and use the rental address for P1 registration, but did not reside there for at least 30 months.

Under the P1 registration exercise, MOE uses a home-school distance priority system to allocate places when demand exceeds vacancies. Priority is given first to Singapore citizens living within 1km of the school, then those between 1km and 2km, and lastly those outside 2km.

The 30-month stay requirement applies to children securing a place using a new address that offers more priority. Families must live at that address, reflected on both parents’ NRICs, for at least 30 months from move-in.

MOE said: “When wrongdoings are found, or where parents are unable to provide evidence that information provided during the P1 registration exercise was true and accurate, the child will be transferred to a school with vacancies near where the family and child are residing, and parents will have no say in the choice of the school.”

Parents caught providing false information are also referred to police for investigation, the ministry...