Are All Primary Schools The Same?

[citygirl]

oneheart:

why are all the gd schs mostly built in private estates? I really wonder...was driving down Bt Timah from my humble CCK hdb estate to town, all the gd schs are there...NYPS, RGPS. CHIJ OLQP, MGS & HPPS in Holland area etc etc. while CCK residents have to have fight for SVPS or DLS. And if balloted out which is highly likely...left with ???

While those in so called surrounded by gd schs, balloted out from 1, go into another gd sch.

There are many good schools in public estates. CCK has Southview, which has been very consistent in producing high-scoring PSLE students. And there are schools built in private estates which don't perform that well either.

It's not true that those surrounded by good schools can go to another good school if they're balloted out - registration is done in phases and most people who live in the Bukit Timah area will have only one, at most two shots at a good school, which is the same as everyone else.

While they may have the advantage of being in a less dense neighbourhood, the mere fact that the schools are popular means parents from all over Singapore will still send their kids there (in P2A), resulting in less vacancies for those who live near the school.

I too believe that all schools are not equal, but they can't be and they never will be. To me, a school like CHS is not desirable (even though I am Catholic and have two boys) as I prefer a less stressful environment for my kids. But to others, a place in CHS is highly prized. So I think it's good that we have some variety and we just have to pick the best one for our kids, and try our darndest to get them in!

Best of luck to all parents applying in 2B and 2C this year, especially in CHS! :nailbite:

[KSP]

Yes. All primary schools are the same as they all provide 6yrs of primary school education but at the end of 6yrs the PSLE result are not equal.

[citygirl]

mrswongtuition:

If all schools are the same....

Why does MOE still rank the schools by banding?
Why do they publish the schools of the top scorers?
Why do they give \"awards\" for academic excellence?

Fact is, they themselves created this madness by all that scoring & ranking.
& another thing is... SG is too small... In US, alot of kids hv to take long rides to school, sk they choose the nearest school. & if they want to move to a better neighbourhood with good schools, if may mean parents need to change jobs too, unlike here.

Hmm... I thought MOE deliberately does not rank primary schools?

And I think the intention of giving out these awards is to give a little recognition to the schools and to hopefully show parents that there are other good schools so we don't all have to rush for places in schools like CHS and NYPS.

Honestly, I feel that it is right for MOE to give out these awards. It is the parents who create the madness. Guess things don't always work out as it's intended! :slapshead:

[tankee]

er … students from same primary school also won’t get equal PSLE result.


Popular schools also have students that did not do well in PSLE.

[tankee]

citygirl:

..... It is the parents who create the madness. Guess things don't always work out as it's intended! :slapshead:

'cos we are Kiasu Parents :oops: and we love our children and want the best for them :celebrate:

[janet88]

Most of the time, parents are the ones who create that madness. Yesterday, I met a lady whose daughter is a classmate of mine in kindy. She told me about her relative whose son is in an enrichment/tuition centre in Bukit Timah Plaza.

All the pupils in that boy’s class are from Pei Hwa. That boy got his test result back and it was below 90%. He asked the teacher to re-mark his test again to see if she can give him 90% (his score is high end of 80). Reason is, he will get scolding if his test marks are in 80 range. :!:
This is madness !

[citygirl]

tankee:

'cos we are Kiasu Parents :oops: and we love our children and want the best for them :celebrate:

Yes, totally agree! And thankfully, everyone's definition of the best is slightly different!

[citygirl]

janet_lee88:

he will get scolding if his test marks are in 80 range.

Poor boy. I feel for him. If I could get 80 for Chinese or Maths in my time, my parents would have thrown a banquet in my honour! :celebrate:

[tamarind]

janet_lee88:

Most of the time, parents are the ones who create that madness. Yesterday, I met a lady whose daughter is a classmate of mine in kindy. She told me about her relative whose son is in an enrichment/tuition centre in Bukit Timah Plaza.

All the pupils in that boy's class are from Pei Hwa. That boy got his test result back and it was below 90%. He asked the teacher to re-mark his test again to see if she can give him 90% (his score is high end of 80). Reason is, he will get scolding if his test marks are in 80 range. :!:
This is madness !

Poor kid

I think this is the difference between neighbourhood schools, and those brand name schools :
In brand name schools, teachers set very difficult worksheets or test/exam papers. Even above average students cannot do well. Anything below 90 marks will cause parents to panic and send their kids to enrichment classes or tuition centers. This is how brand name schools can maintain their good results.

In neighbourhood schools, many kids are from families that cannot afford enrichment classes or very high class kindergarten. As a result, many kids cannot read even in P1. So these schools cannot set test/exam papers that are too tough. Otherwise over 50% of the students will fail.


The fact is that whether it is brand name school or neighbourhood school, if parents want kids to do well, either send to enrichment classes or teach at home. In this way they are \"the same\".

[KSP]

citygirl:

janet_lee88:

he will get scolding if his test marks are in 80 range.

Poor boy. I feel for him. If I could get 80 for Chinese or Maths in my time, my parents would have thrown a banquet in my honour! :celebrate:

Parents didn't spend thousands of $ during our time for enrichment classes but now they do. This is all about ROI - return of investment.