Any Updates As To When PSLE T-Scores Will Be Scrapped?

[MyPillow]

floppy:

Interestingly, MOE has used an example for the treatment of HCL of a score between 7-9 in their admission to a SAP.

Copied fr MOE site:

{When applying to SAP schools, HCL students will continue to receive an advantage.

Although HCL results do not count towards the PSLE Score, if students with the same PSLE Score are vying for limited places in the same SAP school, those with better HCL grades will be allocated a place ahead of other students. This applies before the tie-breakers for S1 posting. }


I din know this too until last yr, when my ds classmates got same T score, apply same SAP sch, the one with HCL got in . Cut off point last yr was their T score.

[Sun_2010]

Should we pause and look at this in a whole new angle?


Majority of us agree that PSLe is adding a lot of stress in our children's life. We want to modify it, but we are not sure how. Not one single model that can actually show how we can significantly reduce the stress, the push the children experience from teachers and parents and themselves - all to get that coveted seat in their dream school. Why?

Because there is no such solution.
Imagine this scenario -
A, B, C get 5 points. All 3 pretty smart boys.
the COP for schools RI - 5 pts, ACS -6pts Cat high - 7pts
A puts the choice as 1. RI 2. Cat High
B puts the choice as 1. RI 2. Cat High
C not wanting to take a risk decides to put safe choice as 1. ACS 2. Cat High

Under the current system probably their T scores would be likely 260+. and they could have gotten into their dream school.
But in the new system let us say this happens. A few seats are left in RI after taking in all those with 4 pts. Tough balloting. A gets in RI, B doesnt. B gets into Cat High.
C would probably escape balloting and get in ACS.

It seems like it is so unfair. B and C deserve to get into RI but because of other factors ( luck/play safe) they have not gotten the chance to.
How about we look at it from the other side? So what happened to B and C? It is not that they have lost. They have gotten into darn good schools. And if they are of good caliber then they will shine there too.

I personally believe the schools I mentioned are all good , what really distinguished them are some specific programmes and the calibre of students that they take in.
In the current system the 3 would be in RI . And would bring the awards and glory to RI
Under the new system , the 3 have to different schools, bringing in those awards to different schools. In a few year's time, the levels between the schools will not be so stark. But more of a smooth curve. RI will still be performing better than Cat High in competitions , but not so markedly. cat High will have a significant number of high performers too.

The transition will be a little uncertain , some more tweaking is probably needed, but in the long run , this strikes the root cause - which is not that PSLE is hard/stressful but there are too few good schools. The PSLE race to get in those is going to be stressful, we can rename the race, change the parameters but the stress is not going to go away.

[jetsetter]

phtthp:

- 5th subject, have not announced in detail how they going to award points system to Cca, leadership posts (prefect, vice prefect, Cca leader or Captain, class monitor, etc )

Did MOE say they are going to award bonus points for CCA achievements and leadership posts?

The above credentials are for DSA purpose, not for computation of AL score, no?


http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/psle-changes-will-be-no/2805556.html
[quote] Said Mr Ng (21 May 2016, \"Talking Point\"): “I know there has been discussion in the public domain, whether there would be new measures of co-curricular activities, character and all the different possibilities. Well it won’t be like that.

“It would be academically based on merit, but it would be fair and transparent,” he said, reiterating his words in Parliament. More details are expected to be announced soon.[/quote]

[mathtuition88]

A simple observation is enough to know that changing the scoring system is unlikely to produce less stress.


The JC "A"- level system is also graded by bands, A, B, C, … , S, U. Yet from experience from tutoring, JC students are currently experiencing great stress, possibly the most stressful period in the Singapore education system. This is due to the immense amount of material crammed into 2 short years, coupled with intense CCA practice that can last till late evenings. Lack of sleep, and exhaustion are common symptoms of JC students.

This is the perfect counter-example to how "wider score bands" does nothing to reduce stress.

[jetsetter]

MyPillow:

floppy:

Interestingly, MOE has used an example for the treatment of HCL of a score between 7-9 in their admission to a SAP.

Copied fr MOE site:

{When applying to SAP schools, HCL students will continue to receive an advantage.

Although HCL results do not count towards the PSLE Score, if students with the same PSLE Score are vying for limited places in the same SAP school, those with better HCL grades will be allocated a place ahead of other students. This applies before the tie-breakers for S1 posting. }


I din know this too until last yr, when my ds classmates got same T score, apply same SAP sch, the one with HCL got in . Cut off point last yr was their T score.

MP: This has been around for more than 20 years (implemented since 1993/94 ~ TBC). But not much advantage if you merely pass...And not considered if you are gunning for a non-SAP sec school.

[Lani]

Maybe everything should just remain as in current, it is the mindset of parents that need to be changed.

[CatMoon]

So, looking at the raw scores for each subject: To get into the Express stream, the student needs to score maximum of 20 points (5 pts x 4 subjects).


And 5 pts = 65 - 74 marks.

But assuming there would be plenty of students scoring just under 65 marks.
Wouldn't this translate to more students being pushed down to the Normal (Acad) stream?

Because under this new PSLE scheme, getting into the Express stream means the kid cannot score less than 65 marks for each subject.

Am I reading this right?

[jetsetter]

UBKmom:

I don’t believe all schools are good schools but I believe more schools can be top schools with better distribution of top talents. It is always good to give others under existing system not able to enter the big 4 to have the opportunity to do so and benefit from it. With the intention to change DSA further, I guess MOE is trying to moderate the elitism in the system and to create a fairer system for all, meritocracy is good but not absolute meritocracy. All in all, I guess we are in the right direction.

Maybe that's the whole idea :evil:

We've discussed this angle before somewhere in this thread or in this forum iirc. Some were wondering if the new system would 'distribute' their kids to the second tier 'Big 5 ~ 7', whereas under the old system, they might just be able to get into the Big 3~4 thru their T-score.

Take mum_sugoku's DD's case for instance...A 7-pointer might be 'distributed' to say RV, VS, NJC, Cedar, CHS, SNGS, SCGS, based on today's COP, to shore up these schools' standing. Good or no good is subjective I guess.

[Hello How]

Under the new PSLE system, those under affiliate schools might be better in getting into their choices schools?


There will be wide range of students on the same band. Those with affiliates will have a better chance if under the same band?

[Ikid]

How do the GEP students be affected by this change then? I understand some GEP students may be strong in Math & Science but weak in languages.