[PSLE MT] PSLE less weightage in Chinese / Mother Tongue

[corneyAmber]

My opinion is that if they cut something, they must increase in another area, right? In the end, it will come back to square one. It will be a vicious circle. One is weak in MT, okay, we cut that to accommodate you. You weak in EL, MA and SC, okay, we cut that too, in the end, might as well not have the PSLE! :roll:

[lego]

I find it very ironical that in the parliamentary reply dated 11 Jan, the reply is that 82% of pupils scored A and A* for CL in the PSLE exam. A further 11% scored B for it. (which means 93% of the pupils obatined either an A or B). http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/parliamentary-replies/2010/01/chinese-language-psle-results.php

If that is the case, why is there a need to further reduce the weightage of CL in PSLE. As it is, there is already the Foundation Level (PSLE), B syallbus (O and A level) for those who have difficulty coping with the language and even total exemption for those who qualify.

I agree that the children have to spend a lot of time on learning the subject, dd included. What we need is to make the language more alive, place more emphasis on listening and speaking and further cut down the writing component, so that it won't be such a chore and hopefully children can learn to appreciate it and USE it and not treat it as just another academic subject.

Thank you, Tamarind for the link to MOE. Will submit my views via the link.

[joconde]

money9090:

my first impression: WT...


unfair to those non-english speaking family, should cut english weighting.

same apply to those weak at Math, Science

Since english is the main language in Singapore, I believe the govt will try to maintain the English standard here, at least some reasonable P6 English standard. Which is logical, otherwise except for MT, one will suffer in all subjects at secondary/JC/U becos of his low English skills.

[joconde]

James Ang:

Singapore's Primary Maths and Science are top in the world, I don't think it is wise to risk the prestigious world placing by having Maths and Science as \"optional\" per the L1R5 style of system. More likely, this top in the world placing will be further strengthened to keep us at the top in the world every year.

I dun think this will happen. Many of the highly-desirable faculties like medicine, accountancy, etc, require strong math and science score. So there's no need to worry that there'll be a drop in interest in these subjects.

In fact, this may even push our Math/sci standard even higher, as pupils will have more time to focus more on these subjects.

[tamarind]

lego:

I find it very ironical that in the parliamentary reply dated 11 Jan, the reply is that 82% of pupils scored A and A* for CL in the PSLE exam. A further 11% scored B for it. (which means 93% of the pupils obatined either an A or B). http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/parliamentary-replies/2010/01/chinese-language-psle-results.php

If that is the case, why is there a need to further reduce the weightage of CL in PSLE. As it is, there is already the Foundation Level (PSLE), B syallbus (O and A level) for those who have difficulty coping with the language and even total exemption for those who qualify.

I agree that the children have to spend a lot of time on learning the subject, dd included. What we need is to make the language more alive, place more emphasis on listening and speaking and further cut down the writing component, so that it won't be such a chore and hopefully children can learn to appreciate it and USE it and not treat it as just another academic subject.

Thank you, Tamarind for the link to MOE. Will submit my views via the link.

lego,
I think what you have posted is a very good point. MOE needs to give an explanation.

This statement is from the article :
\"For years, parents have complained their children who excelled in all other subjects except mother tongue have lost out on a place in top secondary schools. \"

Looks like they want to change the weighting to cater to this very small group of children. Perhaps from the elite families ?

[longreach]

Regardless how MOE tweak the system, it will always benefited some and compromised some. I am sure MOE is looking very hard on all aspects of the statistics to determine what, where and how to tweak the system.


I thought the question on whether weighting on science and math will change is interesting. I knew someone who is currently lecturing in NUS engineering faculty. What worry MOE the most is engineering faculty is no longer able to attract the brightest A level student, and this is a big concern to our government. Only a small percentage of top A level students chose to do engineering as their first choice and also tends to skew towards certain majors. Another interesting fact is that top engineering graduates are being snapped up by the banking industry.

I guess whatever changes MOE is working on now will has to be inline with the long term vision of the government’s strategic plan.

[verykiasu2010]

Now, if the child is good at math / sci / english and not good with chinese, compared with others who are good at all four subjects - it simply means you are not good enough and not good enough to get into the top secondary schools. period. accept it. if you are rich enough, go overseas !


if the top secondary school is willing to bend their system and accept your appeal to let you in by the name of DSA whatsoever sports talent, you have made your connection work and we don’t care. but now because you cannot get into the top secondary school because of one subject while others can and you want to change the system ? this is worse than other countries where officials can change rules as and when they like

like someone posted, 93% of students got A*, A, & B for PSLE chinese and we still want to lower the standard ?

this is a subprime crisis of the chinese language !!!

[vlim]

should get this thread link to MOE so that they can read all the parents feedbacks

[money9090]

vlim:

emmm....that is one issue but it will definitely prevent a 'certain group of non-singaporean' from dominating the top psle scores.. sorry very sensitive issue...

wrong....

Even lowering MT weighting, you will still see that \"certain group of non-singaporean\" dominate TOP PSLE scorer.

[verykiasu2010]

In the example of Jim Roger who wanted his kids to have chinese education and sent them to NYPS and he immigrated to live in Singapore to do that.


Now Happy’s mother tongue is English … so how do u lower the standard for her ? Ooops, she is here to study Chinese but we are lowering it … won’t he feel "cheated" by the changing target ? "wth, why do i come to singapore for ?"