GEP 2011 - Screening & Selection

[phankao]

Flowermonaster:

allcc6:

[quote=\"gleemom\"]
U r right. My older children never had a chartered bus from the school to go to the test centre, and it's the same case with this DS. The school actually prefers to keep the students rather than 'donate' them to the GEP schools, so no preparation and of course no bus, which I can perfectly understand why. I don't mind, though. GEP should be as 'natural' as possible. Even though my older children didn't make it past 2nd round, they still did well in school and at PSLE. They might have suffered in GEP if they'd made it with so much help from the school and/or parents. I have heard of children who quit after just a year in GEP.

What happens to children (who transferred to GEP sch) and quit GEP later? Are they automatically offered places in mainstream in the GEP school or can they return to their old school?

They can return to old school or stay in current school mainstream according to GE branch.[/quote]A friend whose child applied after 1 year to be transferred out of GEP bc they didn't like the not-so-positive influence that the child was getting in GEP and wanted to go back to old mainstream school was given LOADS of trouble by MOE. THey made it really difficult for them to transfer out of GEP. But they eventually did, lah.

[sleepy]

phankao:

A friend whose child applied after 1 year to be transferred out of GEP bc they didn't like the not-so-positive influence that the child was getting in GEP and wanted to go back to old mainstream school was given LOADS of trouble by MOE. THey made it really difficult for them to transfer out of GEP. But they eventually did, lah.

Just curious, what sort of 'not-so-positive influence' & what kind of 'LOADS of trouble by MOE' ?

[phankao]

sleepy:

phankao:

A friend whose child applied after 1 year to be transferred out of GEP bc they didn't like the not-so-positive influence that the child was getting in GEP and wanted to go back to old mainstream school was given LOADS of trouble by MOE. THey made it really difficult for them to transfer out of GEP. But they eventually did, lah.

Just curious, what sort of 'not-so-positive influence' & what kind of 'LOADS of trouble by MOE' ?

Very proud and arrogant attitudes that they didn't like their child being influenced with.

MOE didn't want the child to be taken out of GEP, so at first didn't allow or approve at all.

[Flowermonaster]

phankao:

Flowermonaster:

[quote=\"allcc6\"]

What happens to children (who transferred to GEP sch) and quit GEP later? Are they automatically offered places in mainstream in the GEP school or can they return to their old school?

They can return to old school or stay in current school mainstream according to GE branch.

A friend whose child applied after 1 year to be transferred out of GEP bc they didn't like the not-so-positive influence that the child was getting in GEP and wanted to go back to old mainstream school was given LOADS of trouble by MOE. THey made it really difficult for them to transfer out of GEP. But they eventually did, lah.[/quote]Hi Phankao, think your friend's child must has done well in GEP for MOE to make a fuss on the transfer. If the child is not performing, I doubt MOE will disallow the transfer.

[Zann]

phankao:

sleepy:

[quote=\"phankao\"]A friend whose child applied after 1 year to be transferred out of GEP bc they didn't like the not-so-positive influence that the child was getting in GEP and wanted to go back to old mainstream school was given LOADS of trouble by MOE. THey made it really difficult for them to transfer out of GEP. But they eventually did, lah.

Just curious, what sort of 'not-so-positive influence' & what kind of 'LOADS of trouble by MOE' ?

Very proud and arrogant attitudes that they didn't like their child being influenced with.

MOE didn't want the child to be taken out of GEP, so at first didn't allow or approve at all.[/quote]If this is true, you will see a lot of parents pulling out their kids from GEP. Due to my ds in GEP I have a good contact with his group of GE friends and I find them very mature and sensible kids. No proud and arrogant attitudes. My ds has a lot friends from mainstream also. Some from as long as from P1. At home, he also gets along well with and shows respect with his mainstream bro. They have a good mix nowadays to be given opportunity to have lessons and activities with the mainstream students. Gone are the days when the GE kids were isolated in their own classes. GEP is just an enhancement programme for these kids who has shown exceptional high ability in their Language and/or Math so if you ask them to do day to day mainstream syllabus in these two area it is a waste of their time。 And it means our education system is not being able to 因才施教。

[Flowermonaster]

For my DS's school, a few of the mainstreamers from top class called the GEPers Stupid! So who is the proud & arrogant ones? I guess there bounds to b black sheep in everywhere so cannot take it to heart lah.

[Nebbermind]

Flowermonaster:

For my DS's school, a few of the mainstreamers from top class called the GEPers Stupid! So who is the proud & arrogant ones? I guess there bounds to b black sheep in everywhere so cannot take it to heart lah.

yeah, the tension between some mainstreamers and the GE is known to exist...think it's because when u tag them, they tend to compare. Like during our time, there was also a divide between the 'A' and the Poly.

[MandyMummy]

I think that it is not that easy and straight-forward to transfer out of GEP back to the mainstream. There are SOPs to follow. First , GE branch must understand the reasons, teacher must write report. Students and parents must go for counseling. The reason is that the GEP kid may get some very unfriendly and unpleasant remarks when he/she return to mainstream ( heard because some mainstream students said they cannot make it, so have to come back). Hence the child must learn to deal with these.

I heard there was a case in ds school whereby a GEP student transferred to mainstream because he could not cope and is losing his self confidence and self esteem. However the boy did not choose to go back to his own school, instead he went to another neighborhood school. He gained his confidence, became happier and topped that school in the PSLE.

[phtthp]

MOE would like to encourage pupils to stay on. After all, they had spent so much time and resources for this group of pupils. Even got a special GEB in MOE to handle this with its own full time director, staffing, etc.


some (not all) GEP pupils had superior attitudes, due to the elitist labelling. My friend’s son was selected, offered yellow envelope by MOE. But she said that she did not want her son to enter when I asked her why…since he was offered a place, she said ‘No’.)

MOE then countered this problem by mixing the top mainstream classes with GEP. Eg during Higher Chinese HCL , Art and Music (and maybe PE) lessons are mixed with top 2 mainstream classes.

however, pupils from top m/s can also develop supercilious attitudes, as they are considered ‘top’ too. Though not in GEP class, but they are also top m/s, still bears the word ‘top’.

so, all down the line - people can develop arrogance, look down on others, not just based on their abilities, but also where they live (prestigious address), their wealth(or family’s wealth), their good looks, good physique, who they know (connections) etc.

it is up to the parents to nurture their children. If a child behaves in a less than desirable manner, mark the parents’ behaviour. Usually it is a mirror image.

[Nebbermind]

MandyMummy:

I heard there was a case in ds school whereby a GEP student transferred to mainstream because he could not cope and is losing his self confidence and self esteem. However the boy did not choose to go back to his own school, instead he went to another neighborhood school. He gained his confidence, became happier and topped that school in the PSLE.

well, he'll face the same problem if he choose to go to those Top sec schools, but he may be more matured and can handle it better.