Father wins right to choose son's primary school in court tussle with ex-wife

A Singapore family court has ruled in favor of a father who wishes to select his son's primary school, despite disputes with his ex-wife. The couple married in 2019, had a child, and divorced in 2022. The ruling, published on September 2, 2023, came after the divorced parents failed to reach an agreement on the child's school placement.

Both parents had previously agreed to joint custody, with the mother having the boy on Wednesdays to noon on Sundays and the father from noon on Sundays to noon on Wednesdays. The boy is set to start primary school in 2027. The court considered factors like school reputation, alumni association, distance to school, parental caregiving responsibilities, and parent behavior.

Judge Goh Zhuo Neng emphasized that travelling time and preparation time for school were key factors. The father's choice of school would give the boy three mornings a week without needing to wake up as early. The mother appealed the decision, arguing that the father's unwillingness to cooperate with her contributed to the court proceedings.