Besides the Primary One Registration Balloting Exercise at Phase 2A2, I was also present at the balloting exercise at Phase 2B, the priority phase for parent-volunteers and grassroot leaders.
The balloting process was identical to the process at Phase 2A2.
The principal briefed the parents on what the parent-volunteers do and encouraged them to fill up the PV form and pay the PV fees if their child were given a place in the school. She humorously added,"You will pay anything if your child is balloted in!"
The odds looked promising for the ballot as there were 20 places for 23 numbers representing 25 children, including two pairs of twins.
The PVs' job was to hand out the form to the parents who got their child a place immediately after the child's number was read out.
This time, the parents who got a place were more explicit in expressing their delight at their number being drawn, and these parents started clapping for others whose numbers were subsequently drawn . Other parents followed suit. Never mind if they were truly happy for them. However, I noted that the parents whose numbers were drawn were less inclined to show their hand when asked where the parents were.
Another way these 2B parents were distinctly different from the 2A2 parents was that none of them took their child along for the balloting exercise, which I thought was wise.
The last number which was drawn was met with a rather loud exclamation of relief and exhilarated countenances. The balloting exercise concluded with the parents around the lucky parents congratulating them.
Before leaving the room, one of the mothers told the principal,"I am so happy! It will take one whole day before it sinks in!"
4 sets of parents had to leave disappointed.
The PVs, including me, busied ourselves with the collection of the fees, selling of the PV T-shirts and showing the parents how to fill up the online form for joining the PV group after the whole exercise.
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