2011 Request for Advice on Selecting Secondary Schools

[jtoh]

contact12:

Rather than preventing schools like SCGS from being full schools, the government may consider making some neighbourhood schools full schools. Full schools operate from the perspective that the child will be with them for ten years and are more successful in developing their students holistically. These students tend to be more confident and possess a greater sense of rootedness to the school community and. Some kids are just not ready for PSLE and full schools allow them greater leeway with lower COP. I do not think that forcing the children through the stressful, high-stakes exams at the age of 12 is very productive. I am teaching a class of primary 6 students for Sunday school ( most are from neigbourhood schools) and I can really emphathise with them as they relate to me how busy and stressed they are because the PSLE determines their future.

However, there is a trade-off in having more full schools. These schools run counter from the principle of meritocracy. PSLE serves to sort out the children on the basis on exam results and gives the children from neighbourhood schools a chance to move up the ladder to go to the elite schools.

I agree.

[DadOfGirl]

contact12:

However, there is a trade-off in having more full schools. These schools run counter from the principle of meritocracy. PSLE serves to sort out the children on the basis on exam results and gives the children from neighbourhood schools a chance to move up the ladder to go to the elite schools.

I guess there is a 'crack' in form of 'Affliation' which negates whole idea of 'Meritocracy'....If MOE really wants childern from neighbour schools a 'Chance' to move up ladder, then Affliation must be scrapped.

Secondary School timing has to change to 8 AM reporting as a standard... Most of Top schools has reporting time as early as 7.15 AM. That's the reason( Even after scoring 245 above in PSLE) , childern from neighborhood school prefers Sec school near by...

with Circle lines opening(Remainign 8 stations) ... this may be of lesses issue , but this is also one of the factor 'Chance' of moving up ladder is \"not taken\" by Childerns from neighbour schools.

[jtoh]

DadOfGirl:

I guess there is a 'crack' in form of 'Affliation' which negates whole idea of 'Meritocracy'....If MOE really wants childern from neighbour schools a 'Chance' to move up ladder, then Affliation must be scrapped.


Secondary School timing has to change to 8 AM reporting as a standard... Most of Top schools has reporting time as early as 7.15 AM. That's the reason( Even after scoring 245 above in PSLE) , childern from neighborhood school prefers Sec school near by...

with Circle lines opening(Remainign 8 stations) ... this may be of lesses issue , but this is also one of the factor 'Chance' of moving up ladder is \"not taken\" by Childerns from neighbour schools.

Aren't there top schools in different parts of Singapore? NUSH and ACSI in the West, RI in Bishan, SNGS in AMK, Dunman High & River Valley in the East and lots more other schools in the second tier? It's true that there is a concentration of good schools in Bukit Timah like SCGS, MGS, NJC, NYGH, RGS and HCI, but the other schools I mentioned above are just as good.

Something to consider is that raised by contact21 - to allow neighbourhood schools to become full schools, thereby taking away the need and urgency to get into a branded school located a distance away.

[DadOfGirl]

jtoh:

Aren't there top schools in different parts of Singapore? NUSH and ACSI in the West, RI in Bishan, SNGS in AMK, Dunman High & River Valley in the East and lots more other schools in the second tier? It's true that there is a concentration of good schools in Bukit Timah like SCGS, MGS, NJC, NYGH, RGS and HCI, but the other schools I mentioned above are just as good.


Something to consider is that raised by contact21 - to allow neighbourhood schools to become full schools, thereby taking away the need and urgency to get into a branded school located a distance away.

Well.... you only have 6 choices in the form & PSLE score is indexed based on few digits... there will be 100-500 students at each score. So if travelling & reaching to school is taken out of criteria( by making reporting time 8 AM or later) to decide 6 choices, qualifing students can apply to 'elite' schools no matter where they are located...

It will take a long time implement suggestion by contact21, if at all it will be accepted.. :roll:

[sall]

Schools cannot change their reporting time to 8 am or later because the students will have to compete with the office workers for bus or mrt. There will also be more jams on roads.

[Happy Mama]

jtoh:

Aren't there top schools in different parts of Singapore? NUSH and ACSI in the West, RI in Bishan, SNGS in AMK, Dunman High & River Valley in the East and lots more other schools in the second tier? It's true that there is a concentration of good schools in Bukit Timah like SCGS, MGS, NJC, NYGH, RGS and HCI, but the other schools I mentioned above are just as good..

River Valley High School is now at the far Western end of Singapore.

[jtoh]

Happy Mama:

jtoh:

Aren't there top schools in different parts of Singapore? NUSH and ACSI in the West, RI in Bishan, SNGS in AMK, Dunman High & River Valley in the East and lots more other schools in the second tier? It's true that there is a concentration of good schools in Bukit Timah like SCGS, MGS, NJC, NYGH, RGS and HCI, but the other schools I mentioned above are just as good..

River Valley High School is now at the far Western end of Singapore.

See? Far Western also got good school.

[Happy Mama]

jtoh:

See? Far Western also got good school.

:lol:
Looks like there are more good schools in the West than the East.

[lobo]

What is the drop rate for Crescent Girls Sec School students? referring to those who went in Crescent Girls sec school but somewhere didnt do well enough…

[Mdm Koh]

lobo:

What is the drop rate for Crescent Girls Sec School students? referring to those who went in Crescent Girls sec school but somewhere didnt do well enough...

How to ascertain such a rate? :scratchhead:

Anyway, I'm a Crescent alumnus. I can't speak for how the situation is now, but my teachers back then were very committed and my principal was far-sighted.

I think that most schools in Singapore have what it takes to help their students develop their potential. If a student doesn't do well, it's usually due to a combination of factors and cannot be blamed on the school.