- Woman charged for using a false address for P1 registration in 2023.
- Ministry of Education takes strong action against misuse of addresses for child enrolment.
- Previous offenders fined thousands for similar P1 registration offences.
A mother stands accused of giving a false address for her child’s school registration, bringing attention to Singapore’s strict stance on address verification and school enrolment offences.
Overview of the Current Case
According to The Straits Times, a 41-year-old woman has been charged for giving a false address to get her daughter into primary school.
The woman cannot be named because of a gag order.
This gag order aims to protect the child’s identity.
She was charged on 5 June 2025.
The woman is accused of lying about where she lived so her daughter could join a school during the P1 registration exercise in 2023.
- Charge date: 5 June 2025
- Mother’s age: 41
- Offence: Giving a false address for P1 registration
- Gag order: Yes, to protect child’s identity
Court papers say she provided false information between June and September 2024.
This information was given to the principal and vice-principal of the school.
The actual name of the school was left out from documents for privacy.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
According to The Straits Times, she faces one charge of giving false information to a public servant.
She also faces two charges under the National Registration Act.
The woman reportedly intends to plead guilty and will not be hiring a defence lawyer.
She is expected to admit to her offences on 18 July 2025.
- Giving false info to a public servant can result in up to two years in jail.
- Court may also impose a fine, or both jail and fine.
- The rule applies if there was intent for the public servant to miss the real facts.
This follows strict rules meant to keep the P1 registration system fair for all children in Singapore.
Ministry of Education’s Position
The Ministry of Education (MOE) has a clear stance regarding address misuse during P1 registration.
MOE checks for accuracy when parents register their children for school.
If parents cannot show the information is real, or if the ministry detects attempts to abuse the system, it will act.
- MOE may transfer the child to another school.
- Parents will not be allowed to choose the new school.
This move is meant to maintain fairness and trust in the school registration process.
MOE’s rules aim to stop parents from taking advantage of the system for popular or desired schools.
Past Similar Cases
This is not the first time parents have been found guilty of enrolment offences involving false addresses.
| Year | Action | Fine | Location Claimed | Real Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Woman, husband lied about address for P1 | S$5,000, S$4,000 | Bishan | Serangoon Garden |
| 2015 | Man used false address for daughter | S$5,000 | Within 1-2km of school | Balestier Road |
In 2018, a woman was found to have lied about her home address to get her child into a desired school during the 2015 registration.
Her husband was fined S$4,000 for supplying a false address at a police post.
They claimed to live in Bishan, but really lived in Serangoon Garden at the time.
In a 2015 case, another man got his daughter into primary school using a fake location between 1km and 2km from the school, but records showed he lived on Balestier Road, which was outside the priority zone.
He was fined S$5,000.
Why Address Verification Matters
Address verification plays a key role in Singapore’s school P1 registration process.
MOE uses it to keep the system fair for all.
- Giving a false address is a criminal offence.
- Convictions bring jail time, fines, or both.
- MOE may transfer the affected child without letting parents pick the new school.
This case reminds all parents to give the real address during P1 registration.
False information may lead to child transfer, legal action, or heavy fines.
Should Singapore do more to check addresses for P1 school registration, or are the present penalties enough?
