Let's keep school admissions fair for everyone

True, but what can we do? Even if we follow the rules, some management quota seats are always reserved for 'special cases'. Maybe we should start a petition to make these management quotas public? I'd love to join if someone organizes it.

It is an open secret, honestly. I’ve seen parents literally carrying recommendations from MLAs or influential trustees to the principal’s office. It’s unfair, but sometimes I feel like the system is rigged against the average parent anyway.

I suggest you try looking for schools that have a transparent 'Point System' based on siblings, alumni, and distance. It leaves very little room for bias. My son is in one such school and the process was very fair and systematic.

Such a valid point! When my daughter was getting into primary, I insisted we go through the official portal only. It was stressful, but we eventually got a seat based on the distance criteria. Just hang in there and don't give in to the pressure of using shortcuts, it's better to get in the right way.

I completely agree with you. When we were applying for my son's nursery admission last year, we noticed some parents boasting about 'managing' things through alumni quotas or management seats. It feels so demoralizing for those of us who spend weeks preparing documents and waiting in lines, only to be told the seats are full. Have you looked into the schools that conduct proper lotteries? Those seem much more transparent than the interview-based ones.