Primary School Registration

Both daddy and I took leave off yesterday from work to handle Lunz primary school registration. Children who are born in the year of 2004/2005 has to register for primary school entry this year. We have already decided months ago to enroll him in Chinese school as we knew that Sekolah Kebangsaan now a days is a complete no-no due to its low standard. Furthermore, most of the parents who doesn't know Chinese (e.g. like me and daddy) also send their children to Chinese school. I guess the culture has already changed. We are now emphasizing more on the importance of the Chinese language. So, both of us has decided to let Lunz pick up this language at least until Primary 6. The syllabus will still be the same except Chinese will be the first language used instead of the Bahasa. English comes next. I know it will be hard for us to teach him because both of us don't know Chinese but there is always an alternative. We can still send him for tuition or my sisters in law can help out. I think I have to get a Chinese-English translate dictionary.

Back to the school registration. We managed to short list a good Chinese school nearby mum's house. It's Connaught School II. According to feedback, Connaught II has better standard than Connaught I. A lot of my friend's children also studied there. So, it's ok. But the golden rule is you have to prove that you are staying nearby the school, which priority will be given to those living in the same taman with the school. Even though mum's house is considered close to the school with 7 mins of driving, but I can't use her house address. The area where my mum's house is located is considered in Kajang. If I put her address, I won't be able to get that school.

So, mum has already contacted her long timed friend a year ago who is staying within walking distance to that school to reserve her electricity and water bill for us. The documents were meant to prove that we are staying in that area (as a pretense so that its easier for us to get a place in that school). However, 2 months ago, a very terrible aunty (mum's ex-neighbor) contacted that friend and immediately drove over to her house and "rompak" those bills! Mum's friend told that aunty she has already reserved for my mum. But that stubborn and terrible aunty doesn't seems to care and kept on saying that the school would not check on the details. She left soon with the bills. I was very pissed off when I heard about it. Thank god, luck strikes!

Mum recalled another friend of hers who is also staying in that area who would be able to help. Off we went immediately to get her bills. Luckily no one has "book" her bills yet. So, we will be using her address and the reason I'm giving will be this lady is my son's babysitter. You know, he comes back from school, goes to her place, that's the connection (we are making up the story).

Phew!! Luck was with me most of the time for this registration matter. I'll explain why.

I brought along all the necessary documents as I already asked the school earlier on what sort of documents were needed. And those I could think of such as the house owner's photostat IC and my divorce court document to prove that I'm a single parent. I reached the school compound even before 7am on the first day of registration. I got number 7 in the line. The registration starts at 8.15am but I managed to get some tips from a teacher who was on duty at that time before the registration. She told me that I can't put the relationship as babysitter or guardian. The point is, me, myself personally have to stay at the mentioned address!

So, another idea popped up in my mind. I could tell them that I'm renting a room there. And that I was basically divorced and renting a room in my friend's house or relative or whatever. As expected they asked for the child's father's IC (because they need the father's information for registration. Stupid, isn't it? A mother's detail doesn't count!). Luckily I brought the court document along. So, they kept quiet knowing my status. Then they started to query about the difference in addresses. My IC has a different address from Lunz's birth certificate and now I'm applying with a different address. As planed, I told them I'm renting a room there as I pointed out to the lady's address. They asked me for a prove or something to show that I'm really staying there.

NOTE: They didn't even bother to see the electricity and water bill.

I told them I didn't have any tenancy agreement as the house owner is a very close friend of mine. What other prove do you need?, I found myself asking. In the end, they wanted a letter with the owner's signature to prove that I'm really renting a room from her. They gave me back all my documents and asked me to come again after I have obtained the letter. I was like, WTH? This fussy? Then I said, I reached here before 7am and got a good number in the queue, you don't expect me to queue again don't you?

Luckily they said I don't have to queue. Just enter and pass the documents. As quick as lightning, I rushed to that lady's house and drafted the letter and got her to sign it. Then I passed the letter back to the teacher in charge. She said I was fast. I just told her, I handwritten the letter only, no time to type and print. Luckily she accepted it. When it was done, I returned the originals electricity and water bill to that lady, thank her for her kindness to help us and even bought her 2 boxes of cakes to show my gratitude. Being daddy, he said, sai ng sai ar? (when he saw me bought the cakes).

Then I told him, that's why you don't know all these yan ching rules chow hai gum. :P
Without her help, we will have more headache.

That's why I said I was lucky because:

1. When I first lost the initial contact, I managed to get another one in time and she is willing to help.
2. I got my divorce court document in time for if not, I need to get his father's IC for registration.
3. I managed to convince them that I was actually staying at the mentioned address.
4. They didn't query much after I handed the letter over to them.
5. I got the wrong size envelope and luckily they accepted it.
6. The owner remind me to get her photostat IC. Who would actually be kind enough to remind you of something that's none of her business?

I will only know the result by August 2011. As daddy said, we will have Plan B (backup plan) in case this doesn't work out. But first, we will have to think about Plan B.