Opinions of the Primary School Registration System

[absolut_vodka]

If u read my post carefully, I did say that there is no guarantee - just that an ave. student in a good school will most likely perform better than one in an ave. sch. That is seen from the overall passing rates, overall % of students who scored distinctions and so on… I am not interested in which school(s) produced the top student(s) - because the student prob is brilliant to begin with (and most imptly, I do not expect my kids to be top students - just above ave. if they have put in their best. And it is my responsibility to give them a head start to enroll them in the best place possible). Obviously, in top schools, there are still failures but are they in the majority? U tell me…


No, my sis was a brilliant student who worked very hard and after my mom and she realized the ‘difference’ after she didn’t make the entrance test so they put in extra effort To ‘make up’ for the ‘difference’. And I am sorry, I do not happen to think that NTU is a prestigious uni… I believe my sis would have gone overseas to a better uni., on a scholarship even, if my mom has placed her in my sch to begin with.

[THC]

mummy168:

Yes..the vested interest is far too strong but I'm not gonna fall for it...

dont want to misinterpret - no comments

[dorisp]

absolut_vodka:

No, my sis was a brilliant student who worked very hard and after my mom and she realized the 'difference' after she didn't make the entrance test so they put in extra effort To 'make up' for the 'difference'. And I am sorry, I do not happen to think that NTU is a prestigious uni... I believe my sis would have gone overseas to a better uni., on a scholarship even, if my mom has placed her in my sch to begin with.

I beg to differ but I respect your opinion for placing so much emphasis on the school a person attends on his/her ultimate \"achievements/attainments\"..... :roll:

[absolut_vodka]

Obviously we are simplifying things here… There are many contributing factors to one’s achievement/Success. Just saying that the school environment is one of the important ones - in the absence of it, one has to put in a lot more effort.


And yes, it is my opinion and no one is forcing it down ur throat if u don’t think so. Just like why some people think it is necessary to send their infant to shichida (which i think is a terrible waste of money) but I choose to let my kids enjoy their childhood and not worry abt going to school at their age. I went to school at 5 (so did many of my friends) and there are plenty of scholars all around.

[LOLMum]

mummy168:

The issue with the current pri sch registration sy is real and I am sure that there are others out there who feel the same way.
The crux of the issue is yet to be addressed ....

1.\tIs it ok for the top schools to be almost out of reach to the masses and especially for kids of working class parents? Elitist?
\tIs this ok for our fragile social structure?
2.\tIs it logical for a child living next to the school to be excluded entry while another living much much farther to gain entry at P2A?
3.\tIs it ok for the PV system to be just the playing field for professionals?
4.\tIs it ok for the PV system to be so opaque?
5.\tIs it ok for the registration system to provide for an entrenchment of 'classes'?

just my $0.02 view for q (1) and (2).

there are many students from top schools whose parents are not professionals, no rich family background and might even have financial problems and live far from these top schools . coming from a top school doesnt necessary means smooth sailing for the rest of the life. there are people who did well, people who did so so and people who might be doing a lot worse than their classmates. so phase 2a let the 2 latter groups to give their children a chance to study in top schools and hopefully do better than themselves.

my impression of a top boys school was rich family, drivers, expensive cars etc but when i met the parents of ds' classmates/schoolmates, many live in hdb, speak mandarin, not all are professional or businessman, some live outside 2km (no $$$ to buy or rent a place near school), basically your average joe, and majority are grateful to be able to send their kids to the school via phase 2a. thus is this group consider part of the masses or the elite group? i dont know.

[Pen88n]

I would like to say that PV is not only for professionals. In fact, I have many friends who are "professionals" rejected for PV work as they cannot offer what the school is looking for.


My "financial accountant" friend was rejected by a popular school in her neighbourhood whilst a stay-home mother was accepted as she was an ex-teacher from China and could offer Chinese tuition to the school kids under-performing for that subject.

My "IT head" friend tried to offer his service to another popular school, only to be told that the school does not need that. The school chooses another guy who was an air-con servicing technician, as a traffic warden and to help with manual labour of painting and setting-up the computer lab.

Elitist??? Not available to masses??? I really do not think so.

To be fair, I think the school chooses the PV based on what they need. And I know of schools that list down examples of types of tasks for PVs as well in their application form. Competition for PVs for popular schools are definitely there - just like competition for students to get into good secondary schools. Over the years, I can see that most schools limit the number of PVs to prevent disappointment. Yes, there may be a few disappointments - in life there is no guarantee of "sure win" all the time despite putting in the effort.

All of us wants to try our best for our kids and there is no system that benefits everyone. Going to a popular school does not guarantee the kid will perform better. A lot is dependent on the kid’s ability and willingness to learn and perform. There are so many examples of neighbourhood school kids joining the GEP programme in popular schools at P4.

Ultimately, the fairness comes when secondary school is chosen based on PSLE results, JC chosen based on "O" level results and Uni entry based on "A" level results.

[tankee]

Pen88n:

.....Ultimately, the fairness comes when secondary school is chosen based on PSLE results, JC chosen based on \"O\" level results and Uni entry based on \"A\" level results.

I do recall reading elsewhere about we should not judge any kid's capability by exam taken over a few days. lack holistic assessments, kid could be not feeling well on exam day or days, etc etc

:siam:

[verykiasu2010]

Pen88n:

I would like to say that PV is not only for professionals. In fact, I have many friends who are \"professionals\" rejected for PV work as they cannot offer what the school is looking for.


My \"financial accountant\" friend was rejected by a popular school in her neighbourhood whilst a stay-home mother was accepted as she was an ex-teacher from China and could offer Chinese tuition to the school kids under-performing for that subject.

My \"IT head\" friend tried to offer his service to another popular school, only to be told that the school does not need that. The school chooses another guy who was an air-con servicing technician, as a traffic warden and to help with manual labour of painting and setting-up the computer lab.

Elitist??? Not available to masses??? I really do not think so.

To be fair, I think the school chooses the PV based on what they need. And I know of schools that list down examples of types of tasks for PVs as well in their application form. Competition for PVs for popular schools are definitely there - just like competition for students to get into good secondary schools. Over the years, I can see that most schools limit the number of PVs to prevent disappointment. Yes, there may be a few disappointments - in life there is no guarantee of \"sure win\" all the time despite putting in the effort.

All of us wants to try our best for our kids and there is no system that benefits everyone. Going to a popular school does not guarantee the kid will perform better. A lot is dependent on the kid's ability and willingness to learn and perform. There are so many examples of neighbourhood school kids joining the GEP programme in popular schools at P4.

Ultimately, the fairness comes when secondary school is chosen based on PSLE results, JC chosen based on \"O\" level results and Uni entry based on \"A\" level results.

Agreed

:goodpost: :goodpost:

[3Boys]

hquek:

Yup, we all are entitled to our own way of thoughts and we maintain our rights to disagree. You may call it conventional thinking - but what I shared was my personal experience and observation.


I rather go to work knowing that there are volunteers who tag along with my kid on his school outing and making sure that the kids all stay together and are kept safe; than say, for there to be no PV and that 40 kids are wandering in Bt Timah Hill with only a couple of teachers around. And certainly, when I fail at a job interview, I certainly don't call up the interviewer and demand to know how I didn't measure up.

The fallacy is in thinking that a positive PV experience equates to PV as a concept bing fair or right, or even necessary.

I had a wonderful PV experience generally. When I got into the roll of it after a bit, it was actually pretty fun and I think I managed to make a real impact in my area of contribution.

So why am I coming back now and dissing the system? After I got my boy in on that basis?

I've explained in various threads in detail about the vagaries of the PV system and I am not going to bore anyone by repeating it here again.

Just because someone had a good PV experience or on the face of it, has an impression that the school could have done with that help, it doe not mean that one assumes that it is true. First and superficial impressions can be misleading.

On the balance, I find the PV system to be archaic, opaque and inconsistent. Something that is out of place as an 'entry selector' for something as sensitive and important as P1 admissions. Hence my desire for its dismantling.

I am pretty happy where my boy is actually. school is in a sweet spot for him. Aced his academics, far exceeding his dad in MT, class leader and brimming with confidence. Fine where he is, don't need super-branded school.....

.....but the principle of how the admissions system is implemented in Singapore wrong, and PV is just one part of it.

[janet88]

hquek:

I'm glad and happy that PV work can only be undertaken by parents (No grandparents, no maids allowed).


I did PV and so am probably classed under one with 'vested interests'. But I'm glad I did PV. Not all schools have open days. I'm not the socially active type that can go around the neighbourhood obtaining information about the school I'm interested in. PV work allowed me to get INTO the school and see for myself what the school is like. During the days on duty, I could walk around and look at the noticeboard; chat with the teachers etc. How to do that if I'm not allowed into the school?

I ever mentioned that being PV allowed me to understand the school culture and that was dismissed as bs. It's precisely I know which school I want to register my child in, which is why I want to be a PV to be in the school compound and talk to teachers.
I am not one who likes to walk about my neighbourhood to enquire...better to find out and experience personally than ask around.

That said, after my child gets into the school, the rest pretty much depends on him/her to work hard and get into sec school of choice. Of course, parents also have to play a part and not leave everything to the teachers. That's your own child after all.