Petition to Review the Singapore Education System

[looking4Tutor]

Chenonceau:

It is good to see robust debate in this thread. I encourage more participation. Agree or disagree... pro or con... please write your thoughts.

We should invite Wee Shu Min to the debate :nailbite: :scared:

[Chenonceau]

MummyThreeStreams:

I think it depends on the school. DS1's school doesn't expect the boys to write a journal. They don't have homework either (he's in P1). They have show and tell but I don't know when these are. So I didn't prepare my son for it (and I'm a SAHM). He seems to be doing OK in school. I hear it will be a lot more stressful from P3. So I'm using this extra free time he has now to let him do other stuff like music, sports etc. rather than to go for tuition. We can slowly ramp up on the academic stuff later.


I guess I don't really have many views to share coz my boy is only in P1. But I appreciate everyone's comments, and Chenonceau's efforts to focus MOE's attention on this issue.

These reviews will take time because the issues are complex and the stakeholders are many. I think MOE is earnest and serious in trying to develop the potential in our children. Compare the system now with what I had while growing up. There are so many more pathways to take into account the individual needs of a child. But, of course, it is work in progress and we should always be looking at how to improve the system. As long as we have something positive, constructive to add, we should give our feedback to MOE so that they can continually refine the system based on ground feedback. Maybe our children won't benefit from it, but our grandchildren will! (I'm forever optimistic).

I think your views are valuable because they give us visibility into the experience at P1. That's part of the system too, and linked to the PSLE. Thank you for sharing.

And your optimism encourages people (e.g., me ), gives hope. All this is valuable contribution.

[Chenonceau]

Edureach:

Reduce class size down progressively to 32 pupils, maybe can be achievable over a 5-year period. But to reduce to s 20-25/class, what about school fees?


At every exam, several difficult questions must be incoporated to seperate the A* from A. Higher degree of difficulties are bound to invite parents' complaints. Does the exam board has a choice?

This petition has to be carefully studied and the staff at MOE will have to assess the feasibilities of implementation taking full account the interests of all stakeholders.

This matter needs a long time to address.

I think more than the petition has to be studied. The petition is a very humble document by one brain... We need to put the petition in perspective. In the bigger scheme of things, the petition is a matchstick that lit a discussion, and when it's job is done, it'll be nothing at all.

It is the discussion that matters, not the petition.

Various threads in KSP can yield data that will help chart the future towards a system that the average Singaporean can succeed in ... and not just the rich and the smart.

[Peony]

Chenonceau:

Peony:

Hi Chenonceau,


Your quest is very admirable. I personally get emotional over this topic and do not have the strength to debate.

Just wanted to say that.

Peony, coming from my Inspiration, this is praise indeed!

You're not the only emotional one. I am too. It doesn't seem like it because I force myself to be logical and clear thinking so that we can properly engage MOE. After all, MOE is made up of people too, and people should not get abused.

But inside, I am angry and upset that my son has to suffer so much. I am angry and upset that some of my son's cousins will never amount to much in the system because they are poor and their parents are not able to teach them, nor buy tuition.... and there is only so much I can do to help them. This is a matter that elicits an visceral response because it affects our children. Oh yes... I am emotional too, even if it does not seem like it.

I've read your other posts and sense that you are more of an independent thinker than most of us (including me). Your perspective would be valuable, so, when you find the time and can put a lid on the roiling emotions, it would be good to have your perspective here too.

What I do, is for my daughter's good only.

What you do is for ALL.

So YOU are the inspiring one.

Have tried a few times to translate my thoughts into action and pen them here... but do not have the discipline over the tide of emotion. WELL DONE for being able to think clearly and objectively.

[jtoh]

Just adding my thoughts on top PSLE students not thriving in the IP system.


Doing well in PSLE does not mean you will do well in secondary school. Someone who's diligent, intelligent and is able to memorise facts and apply them well will do well in PSLE, even scoring 270+. At primary school, a lot of information is fed to the kids and their role is to use that info.

But secondary school, especially the IP system at some of the top secondary schools, is much more than just memorizing, regurgitating and applying facts. Students there are not spoonfed facts. They are not even given the facts. They are taught techniques on how to derive information, analyse the information and apply them. Something akin to not just giving you fish but teaching you how to fish. It's a departure from how primary school is taught and some kids have a hard time coming to terms with it, especially the ones who are used to being spoonfed.

So these are the ones who flounder, despite coming in at 270+ from PSLE and being #1 at their primary school. They find themselves surrounded by students who are just as good as they are academically and some can't handle not being top dog and getting all the attention. So some act up to get attention. Some give up because they can't deal with their sudden loss of status. Some can't cope with the sudden increase in workload, CCA, projects etc. Add to that raging teenage hormones and some lose focus as well. For students whose lives are defined by their success in academics, losing their top dog position means a drop in morale which also leads to a drop in results.

So this is why some students struggle in Sec 1/2 despite being top PSLE scorers. BUT given time and encouragement, they can adapt and given their intelligence will still do well at A levels. Those who don't probably couldn't pull themselves out of the rut.

Just my general observation.

[sall]

Well said! Jtoh.

But only a very small minority has this problem. The rest will adjust to the new way of learning and thrive in it.

[Edureach]

jtoh


Good observation!

IP students have an advantage over 0-level route as at year 3-4, these students are exposed to some tropics of the A-level. IP students would have build a strong foundation in answering exploratory questions vs the O-level route. However, this distinct advantage is neutralised by the focus, discipline and experience of good O-level students having taken the intermediate exam.

What you have outlined is also similar to a group of high O-level scorers, ie 6-9 pointers. Usually hailed from the top neighbourhood schools, some of these students are unable to cope with the A-level. Whether science or humanities, due to the type of questions which demand higher order thinking skills, source based questions require high analytical ability. A student cannot rely on regurgitating of facts to do well unlike O-level.

The above explains why we see some high 0-level scores couldn’t perform and need to transfer to poly. You will observe that they excel at poly.

[jtoh]

sall:

Well said! Jtoh.

But only a very small minority has this problem. The rest will adjust to the new way of learning and thrive in it.

I agree. The majority are able to adjust and thrive. In fact, I would say that most of the kids have no problems adjusting to the system and some of the top scorers continue to pull out top scores from their hats, scoring GPAs of 3.8-4.0.

[Brenda10]

jtoh:

sall:

Well said! Jtoh.

But only a very small minority has this problem. The rest will adjust to the new way of learning and thrive in it.

I agree. The majority are able to adjust and thrive. In fact, I would say that most of the kids have no problems adjusting to the system and some of the top scorers continue to pull out top scores from their hats, scoring GPAs of 3.8-4.0.

Hi jtoh and sall

Thank you for sharing your view.

We are hesitating that whether is dd able to go for 6 years program if she is able to make it during this PSLE. However, she is very determine and wanted to go and we are more release after seeing some of your opinion in this case.

[jtoh]

Edureach:

jtoh


Good observation!

IP students have an advantage over 0-level route as at year 3-4, these students are exposed to some tropics of the A-level. IP students would have build a strong foundation in answering exploratory questions vs the O-level route. However, this distinct advantage is neutralised by the focus, discipline and experience of good O-level students having taken the intermediate exam.

What you have outlined is also similar to a group of high O-level scorers, ie 6-9 pointers. Usually hailed from the top neighbourhood schools, some of these students are unable to cope with the A-level. Whether science or humanities, due to the type of questions which demand higher order thinking skills, source based questions require high analytical ability. A student cannot rely on regurgitating of facts to do well unlike O-level.

The above explains why we see some high 0-level scores couldn't perform and need to transfer to poly. You will observe that they excel at poly.

Thanks edureach. So are you saying that whether you should take the IP or O level route also depends on the learning style of the child?