Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary

[cherlynang]

I asked my dd, she say devotion is sang after national anthem. Hence cannot come later. They switch the sequence. Any non-christian encounter this before?

[janet88]

cherlynang:

My personal opinion, Teachers are more important than P.


Will the pupils have the locker key to themselves or teacher kept the key n student has no access to it? And what if student wants to access? Or does that means there is no keys to the locker?

totally agree. teachers are very important.

[blue_bird]

cherlynang:

My personal opinion, Teachers are more important than P.


Will the pupils have the locker key to themselves or teacher kept the key n student has no access to it? And what if student wants to access? Or does that means there is no keys to the locker?

The locker is shared. Key is kept by one of the kid.

[aobisi]

hi,


me is so excited as we are registering our DD in 2017 for 2018 in-take. but would like to seek opinions from all daddies & mummies here.

my wifey is ex-student and we are relocating near my parent as they helped to take care of my 3 children 5yrs, 3yrs & 1yrs, from central area to redhill area.

does it make sense to apply for PHPP? i am finding a hard time justifying why our child should go through the long daily commute.

– ao

[mummychua]

aobisi:

hi,


me is so excited as we are registering our DD in 2017 for 2018 in-take. but would like to seek opinions from all daddies & mummies here.

my wifey is ex-student and we are relocating near my parent as they helped to take care of my 3 children 5yrs, 3yrs & 1yrs, from central area to redhill area.

does it make sense to apply for PHPP? i am finding a hard time justifying why our child should go through the long daily commute.

-- ao

For me it doesn't make sense to send kids to a school more than 2km away from your place. let's assume that PHPPS will continue to have p1 in the afternoon session. sch off at 6.30pm, your child will have to commute home, assuming it takes 1hr, reach home at 7.30pm, shower, eat dinner by then it will be 8plus or 9pm. Homework? Do it next morning? will the grandparents be able to help?

[limnieng]

cherlynang:

I asked my dd, she say devotion is sang after national anthem. Hence cannot come later. They switch the sequence. Any non-christian encounter this before?

Yes, that's another thing that doesn't quite sit right with me. How can the P say PHPPS adheres to the stipulation by MOE to be a secular school, promise not to proselytize, and then make adjustment to school procedures that forces all students from various religions to do devotion!! To me, that's just religiously insensitive and wrong!!

Coupled with her stance during the P1 presentation, I find her management of the school worrying.

[Jennifer]

limnieng:

cherlynang:

I asked my dd, she say devotion is sang after national anthem. Hence cannot come later. They switch the sequence. Any non-christian encounter this before?

Yes, that's another thing that doesn't quite sit right with me. How can the P say PHPPS adheres to the stipulation by MOE to be a secular school, promise not to proselytize, and then make adjustment to school procedures that forces all students from various religions to do devotion!! To me, that's just religiously insensitive and wrong!!

Coupled with her stance during the P1 presentation, I find her management of the school worrying.

Both my boys were from PH. We did not have any issue with the Christian Values sessions, even though we are not Christians. In my opinion, it is good to have an open mind to learn about the teachings of other religions, this way we grow to be understanding and be respectful of other religions practices.

You can always call and speak to the form teacher to voice your concerns.

[mummychua]

limnieng:

cherlynang:

I asked my dd, she say devotion is sang after national anthem. Hence cannot come later. They switch the sequence. Any non-christian encounter this before?

Yes, that's another thing that doesn't quite sit right with me. How can the P say PHPPS adheres to the stipulation by MOE to be a secular school, promise not to proselytize, and then make adjustment to school procedures that forces all students from various religions to do devotion!! To me, that's just religiously insensitive and wrong!!

Coupled with her stance during the P1 presentation, I find her management of the school worrying.

our family is not religious but i do understand why the school do the national anthem before devotion. that's probably to get all students in at the same time. otherwise parent will start opting out and get their kids to sch at a later time. I'm not sure if it's possible, perhaps you could request to have your kids sit out of devotion and do quiet reading instead?

[aobisi]

mummychua:

aobisi:

hi,


me is so excited as we are registering our DD in 2017 for 2018 in-take. but would like to seek opinions from all daddies & mummies here.

my wifey is ex-student and we are relocating near my parent as they helped to take care of my 3 children 5yrs, 3yrs & 1yrs, from central area to redhill area.

does it make sense to apply for PHPP? i am finding a hard time justifying why our child should go through the long daily commute.

-- ao

For me it doesn't make sense to send kids to a school more than 2km away from your place. let's assume that PHPPS will continue to have p1 in the afternoon session. sch off at 6.30pm, your child will have to commute home, assuming it takes 1hr, reach home at 7.30pm, shower, eat dinner by then it will be 8plus or 9pm. Homework? Do it next morning? will the grandparents be able to help?

hi, thanks so much for your response. i share the same sentiment. no doubt PH is a good school, but i just can't convincing myself on that. aside to long commute, still have CCA, additional lesson, etc.. :slapshead:

[limnieng]

mummychua:

limnieng:

[quote=\"cherlynang\"]I asked my dd, she say devotion is sang after national anthem. Hence cannot come later. They switch the sequence. Any non-christian encounter this before?

Yes, that's another thing that doesn't quite sit right with me. How can the P say PHPPS adheres to the stipulation by MOE to be a secular school, promise not to proselytize, and then make adjustment to school procedures that forces all students from various religions to do devotion!! To me, that's just religiously insensitive and wrong!!

Coupled with her stance during the P1 presentation, I find her management of the school worrying.

our family is not religious but i do understand why the school do the national anthem before devotion. that's probably to get all students in at the same time. otherwise parent will start opting out and get their kids to sch at a later time. I'm not sure if it's possible, perhaps you could request to have your kids sit out of devotion and do quiet reading instead?[/quote]I'm a P1 parent, so our child starts school in the afternoon. The national anthem is sang after school. However, from what I gathered and information from my child, there is some sort devotion service, religious talk and hymn singing at 12:30pm before class starts.

I emailed the following to the school yesterday but they have yet to respond:

\"Pei Hwa is a government-aided school with religious affiliation, and thus it is understandable that there are devotion service before class.

However, MOE clearly stipulates that such religious activities have to be optional due to the multi-religious nature of our society. The school is also obliged to inform parents of any such activities, and furthermore provide the option for our children to not participate. According to a forum letter dated 8 Jan 2014 written by the Deputy Director-General of Education (Schools), schools also have to provide ‘alternative learning programmes for students who opt out’.

From my discussion with other parents and the information provided to me by my child, the children are being forcefully kept (by means of no other options expressly provided) in the school hall to listen to talks on ‘Jesus’ and engage in the singing of hymns starting at 12:30pm before class starts. I find this to be oppressive and in direct contradiction to MOE’s directives. It also offends the religious sensitivities of both child and parents.

I also refer to the new principal’s (Mdm Elsie Tan) presentation on the first day of school, where she euthusiastically express her religious affiliation and joy at being back at a mission school, but also promises not to proselytize. Yet this current arrangement of compulsory devotion service before class seems to be at odds with what was conveyed.

I do hope my above understanding is a case of miscommunication. If not, can the school please clearly inform parents of the option of not participating in devotion service, and how we are able to exercise this option.

Thank you.\"

Today my child came back and asked me how could the clever fish evolved to be a dinosaur if God created everything (We've been reading a children's book called \"The world's cleverest fish\" to her since young that explains evolution). I asked her why she would ask me that, and she said that's what she was told during the afternoon devotion service. I told her that's a story that some people in the world believe but that she would have to decide for herself. She then asked me what I believe. I said I believe there's evolution. She then said she wants to change a daddy because I contradict what the school says.

I hope the school understands the severity of this problem, and takes the MOE's directive to be a secular school seriously. If not, I'll be forced to escalate the issue.