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

[pirate]

mum_sugoku:

[quote]While the GCE ‘O’ Levels serve as a valuable intermediate benchmark for the majority of our pupils, those who are academically strong can benefit from engaging in broader learning experiences during their Secondary and JC years. The Integrated Programmes (IP) will provide an integrated secondary and JC education where secondary school pupils can proceed to JC without taking the GCE ‘O’ Level Examinations. Schools offering IP will optimise the time freed up from preparing for the GCE ‘O’ Levels to stretch pupils and provide greater breadth in the academic and non-academic curriculum.

For someone who is fully capable and (should've been) fully qualified to take up the program, but being denied the chance simply because of the way the system work, is the \"sacrifice\" and \"unfairness\" I'm talking about.

I think I'm older than you since, during my time, PSLE scores were not even made known to us. But SAP scheme (so-called 'special stream') had already been introduced, with only the top 8% qualified for that 'special' stream. Back then, most of my cousins (2 of them same age as me), as well as myself, were doing fairly well in our respective primary schools. Came PSLE, my father kept telling me, if your cousins got into special stream and you didn't, you'll make me lose face! I was under tremendous pressure and really studied hard, and managed to go to 'special' stream. BTW my 2 cousins got in too. (Frankly, I really loathed the stress very much, and wouldn't want my kids to go through the same experience as I did.. Still, I had to warn them that their scores determine which school they can go; if they wanted more choices - you choose school, vs school choose you - they'd better do well.)
[/quote]And yet some who the PSLE T-scores suggest to be 'fully capable' or 'fully qualified' for the program flunk out of it spectacularly. I seriously doubt that a T-score difference of say 5 would be an accurate predictor of whether the child is suitable for IP. So, T-score only gives a rough indication whether the IP program is suitable for the particular kid or not. For all we know, there are probably many other kids who do not qualify under the present T-score system, but who would be fully capable of benefiting under it. I am not particularly concerned because I think that PSLE is a very blunt instrument for sorting.

Actually, SAP and points for PSLE came out about the same time. At most 1 or 2 years apart. I know my elder brother time don't have SAP or scores. But this is really ancient history. Hee hee hee.

Luckily my parents never did the comparison thing on me, although I got one relative who scores more than me every single time. Then again, he ended up not getting into NUS medicine. Something about results too good. :razz:

Didn't really study for PSLE. Got more than a few big fat duck eggs for my Chinese around P3/P4, but still ended up by default in one of the SAP schools.

Ah.... the good old days when the time was better spent catching spiders, flipping bottle caps and coaching stranded kites from trees. :rotflmao:

[Melaka1986]

I came from the 1980s when the top scorer in class scored 421 in PSLE. He went to Chinese High. Many top scorers went to River Valley as well because it was the nearesr SAP school. Nobody really hard up and die die must go RI. Because if you do well in O level, you get to reshuffle to the top JC still. There were more top schools then! And yes St Nick was better than NY then…


So it is perhaps really the IP system that is creating all those stress at p6 level?

[UBKmom]

lee_yl:

floppy:

[quote=\"lee_yl\"]
Suddenly I realise, the balloting is not just for the sec school, it also decides which JC the top boy goes to. Let's be frank, there is a difference between RI(JC) and Eunoia JC! :siam:

Apart from the silly name, not so sure about a big difference.

Eunoia takes her feed from CHS, SCGS and SNGS - not too shabby IMHO.

Sure, if you believe that all schools are good schools [/quote]Yes, I also dont believe all schools are good schools and definitely there is differences between RI and Eunoia but will these differences impede the students from achieving their best performance and getting into university? I doubt so.

The gap will not be closed overnight but overtime and we have to start somewhere.....

[UBKmom]

Melaka1986:

I came from the 1980s when the top scorer in class scored 421 in PSLE. He went to Chinese High. Many top scorers went to River Valley as well because it was the nearesr SAP school. Nobody really hard up and die die must go RI. Because if you do well in O level, you get to reshuffle to the top JC still. There were more top schools then! And yes St Nick was better than NY then...


So it is perhaps really the IP system that is creating all those stress at p6 level?

IP system is definitely one of the stress point because it leave so limited spaces for O level students. Just imagine you need 3 points to get in RI/HCI which put alot of pressure on the O level students and can be very demoralizing. Worst, all the top JCs are beginning to adopt this system after seeing the effect of IP has on their performance. This put more stress on parents and students \"chop\" a place at IP schools after PSLE....it is not wrong that PSLE is the most important exam as it not only decide the secondary school but also JC.

[jetsetter]

lee_yl:

floppy:

[quote=\"lee_yl\"]
Suddenly I realise, the balloting is not just for the sec school, it also decides which JC the top boy goes to. Let's be frank, there is a difference between RI(JC) and Eunoia JC! :siam:

Apart from the silly name, not so sure about a big difference.

Eunoia takes her feed from CHS, SCGS and SNGS - not too shabby IMHO.

Sure, if you believe that all schools are good schools [/quote]They can believe it once they step into Mount Sinai campus. It's all in the mind... :evil:

OK on a more serious note...I think the chances of this top boy being mis-emplaced is very remote! He would've safely DSAed into NUSH, RI or HCI before he even finds out he is the top boy of his cohort!

Freak or fluke posting to EJC in lieu of RJC all boils down to mindset and perception, much like how one feels when carrying an Hermes bag vs a Prada bag; so long as EJC falls within the Big 10 IP (not O level) table by 2021, it's still palatable to the candidate lah. The P of EJC will certainly grin from ear to ear when many big fishes fall thru the occasional fishnet lobangs under the new system!

But I cannot say the same for those hovering at the borderline, in the bottom wider bands, i.e. N(A)/N(T) vs Express. The impact on candidates' fortunes and fates is far greater, so I hope MOE can clarify why the range is so big!

[grimm]

lee_yl:

Sure, if you believe that all schools are good schools

All schools ARE good schools. Unfortunately every parent wants the best school

[lee_yl]

UBKmom:

Yes, I also dont believe all schools are good schools and definitely there is differences between RI and Eunoia but will these differences impede the students from achieving their best performance and getting into university? I doubt so.

The gap will not be closed overnight but overtime and we have to start somewhere.....

I agree that one doesn't need to go RI/HCI to develop one's full potential to go University. However, one must also agree that the scholarships, especially for the more prestigious SAFOS and SPFOS, have been monopolised by these 2 schools in recent years.

It's desirable that our educational system is less elitist but I am not sure if the PSLE reforms are enough to break the stranglehold of RI & HCI

[Imp75]

ParkYuni:

Imp75:

I think parents should just chill....there are enough Top Schools to go around if parents extend their binoculars to look further out....


What's worrying is the 64 mark scorer. From a \"sure-express stream\" in present system to \"potentially NA stream\"....I think the govt probably need to look hard at the broader band of 45-64?

Agree! At the moment, it seems like the G is focusing mainly on the cream of the crop. However, as far as PSLE is concerned, students of all calibre will be stretched and stressed. The new system is of no help to the weaker pupils. Instead, it looks like the G is set to optimise its ITE intake.

May not be a bad thing, maybe in 20 years time, technical skills like plumbing, hardware installation (electrician etc) are so scarce that they command a higher pay than your PMETs.

[stetan]

lee_yl:

floppy:

[quote=\"lee_yl\"]
Suddenly I realise, the balloting is not just for the sec school, it also decides which JC the top boy goes to. Let's be frank, there is a difference between RI(JC) and Eunoia JC! :siam:

Apart from the silly name, not so sure about a big difference.

Eunoia takes her feed from CHS, SCGS and SNGS - not too shabby IMHO.

Sure, if you believe that all schools are good schools [/quote]
Why would you not think Eunoia is going to be a top JC ? The calibre of the cohort is good ( from SNGS, SCGS and CHS) and so far all the teachers announced has got good credentials with some graduating from Stanford, Oxford and even Harvard...

I believe they have 万事俱备 只欠东风

[lee_yl]

stetan:

Why would you not think Eunoia is going to be a top JC ? The calibre of the cohort is good ( from SNGS, SCGS and CHS) and so far all the teachers announced has got good credentials with some graduating from Stanford, Oxford and even Harvard...

I believe they have 万事俱备 只欠东风

I would like Eunoia JC to be a top JC! But it was off to a poor start with a change of its interim site and delays to the completion of the final site, remember? And it definitely won't be better than RI or HCI, for sure, at least not for the foreseeable future.

Lest we get distracted, I would like to reiterate that for good students, balloting for secondary school is not just about a spot in sec school, it also decides which JC a top student goes.