MOE Relooking P1 registration - Too much priority to alumni
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Parents who were once PVs before .... also Slam MOE scheme to abolish PV.
so, do NOT HARM 2A alumni -
just because you 2B folks want your children to come in now.
flash the timeline forward ....
30 years later from today (in the year 2042), when comes your grandchildren turn to enrol into schools, i am very sure you too will fight for 2A alumni to be retained - so that your grandchildren can enjoy the fruits of what you'd done in 2012, and get a chance to go back to your alma mater!
FACE REALITY ....
all those who enter by phase 1 (sibling), 2B (PVs, GRL, Clan), 2C (balloted via distance range) - 30 yrs from now, when comes your grandchildren turn esp. if you come from a popular, hot school, you'll be crying out come year 2042 \"Please, Please tolong tolong retain 2A alumni scheme. We want our grandchildren to come in, esp. if your child comes from a popular school today, in year 2012 \"!
so don't just because you want to come in now for SELFISH reasons, start to come in NOW and demand abolish the 2A alumni .... then you got chance for your child to come in NOW.
read here!!!
Lianhe Wan Bao journalists report:-
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Parent volunteers doing ridiculous things for Phase 2B registration
http://everythingalsocomplain.com/2012/02/26/parent-volunteers-doing-ridiculous-things-for-phase-2b-registration/
Parents Slam MOE Scheme
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Parents: Scrap Volunteer scheme for P1 registration:-
http://news.insing.com/tabloid/parents-scrap-volunteer-scheme-for-p1-registration/id-70333f00
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Parents feel that the volunteer scheme in the primary one registration process should go.
In a radio survey carried out by Lianhe Wanbao on radio FM100.3, most listeners feel that the government should scrap the parent volunteer scheme.
According to Lianhe Wanbao, a listener shared that young couples already face a lot of pressures due to the high cost of living.
\"Young couples have to work and take care of their children at the same time, how will they find time to volunteer in schools?\" the listener exclaimed.
Other parents also expressed that the primary one registration scheme consists of too many steps and is simply too tedious.
This comes after the education ministry revealed that it is studying how to improve the scheme.
The scheme has so far drawn a multitude of complaints, with parents criticising that those with connections to the school get too much priority.
According to The Straits Times, many also complained that there are often more applicants than available places in later stages of the registration.
Nearly half of the 173 primary schools here had to hold ballots last year and a number of children did not manage to get into schools near their homes.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) website states that the current primary one registration scheme consists of six phases and gives priority to children whose parents have connections to the school.
According to the website, those who put in at least 40 hours of voluntary work for the school in the Parent Volunteer Scheme can join phase 2B of the registration, a phase with priority over those with no connections.
However, there is no guarantee that the child of the parent volunteer will get a place in the school after putting in the hours of voluntary work.
Parent volunteers shared with inSing editors the odd jobs they may get posted to do.
Some have been asked to direct traffic or to be ushers at school events.
They will also be asked to take part in the school's fund raising activities by manning booths, helping to sell items, or to sponsor items and food for these activities.
If parent volunteers have special skills, such as in performing arts or sports, they may also be asked to take on student groups to coach them in these skills. -
LianHe WanBao report:-
source:-
http://everythingalsocomplain.com/2012/02/26/parent-volunteers-doing-ridiculous-things-for-phase-2b-registration/
From ‘Parents slam MOE scheme’, 25 Feb 2012, article in insing.com
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Parents feel that the volunteer scheme in the primary one registration process should go.
In a radio survey carried out by Lianhe Wanbao on radio FM100.3, most listeners feel that the government should scrap the parent volunteer scheme.
…The scheme has so far drawn a multitude of complaints, with parents criticising that those with connections to the school get too much priority.
According to The Straits Times, many also complained that there are often more applicants than available places in later stages of the registration.
…According to the (MOE) website, those who put in at least 40 hours of voluntary work for the school in the Parent Volunteer Scheme can join phase 2B of the registration, a phase with priority over those with no connections. However, there is no guarantee that the child of the parent volunteer will get a place in the school after putting in the hours of voluntary work.
…Some (parent volunteers) have been asked to direct traffic or to be ushers at school events. They will also be asked to take part in the school’s fund raising activities by manning booths, helping to sell items, or to sponsor items and food for these activities. If parent volunteers have special skills, such as in performing arts or sports, they may also be asked to take on student groups to coach them in these skills.
According to Frontier Primary School’s application form for parents to join their Parent Volunteer Scheme:
Selection of parent volunteers is not on a first come first served basis. The school reserves the rights to short-list applicants whom it deems fit to meet the need of the school and our pupils. In view of the 5-day work week, voluntary services that could be performed during weekdays and would be most beneficial to the school and our pupils will be considered first. Only successful applicants will be notified to commence their services.
Maris Stella High will even subject parents to an INTERVIEW if required.
The number of applications received usually exceeds the number of parent volunteers the school wishes to engage. As such, an interview will be held for shortlisted applicants only.
This isn’t a ‘volunteer’ scheme;
it’s a second job, one that may be harder to get than a real job even with impressive paper qualifications, a job that requires the skills that you don’t usually apply in your actual profession. Hell, you may even hate doing some of these things but don’t have a choice.
It also doesn’t guarantee placement if the school you want to enroll your kid in is just at your doorstep, or even if you exceed the 40 hours doing the janitor’s work unchoking the toilet in the principal’s office. If you’re someone without a specific skill set related to children or school facilities, you’re unlikely to be shortlisted. Even if you have a musical talent like being a master recorder player, you would have to compete with other parents with similar skills. If it’s any consolation to parents who think they’ve been outdone by people with ‘connections’, Zoe Tay herself was snubbed by Nanyang Primary School despite clocking over 80 hours of ‘voluntary work’. You probably won’t see her playing a teacher on TV soon.
If you have the means to pull strings or your child is a prodigy, you can bypass the volunteer scheme altogether by attaching recommendation letters from your MP, or a report from a psychologist declaring your child a genius. You may even do the dirty work indirectly by serving your RC, who’ll reward your service with the MP’s letter above, along with a given that you would vote in the same MP in the next GE out of gratitude. It would also help if you belong to an affiliated church if you’re targetting a Presbyterian school, a member of the Singapore Buddhist Federation for Maha Bodhi, or if you’re a grassroots leader.
Even MM Lee has acknowledged that the selection basis is unfair, that it’s not ‘meritocratic’ and based on the social class of parents, yet this epidemic paper chase and its side effect of parent ‘volunteerism’ can’t be helped.
Here’s a sample of the kind of odd-jobs, some rather embarrassing ones, that company directors, atheists, celebrities, scientists, doctors and lawyers may have to swallow (on WEEKDAYS) for the sake of their children. As far as my grasp of the definition of ‘volunteer’ is concerned, one doesn’t go about doing it with a moody sulk on his/her face. Unless you’ve always wanted to be a teacher all your life, these volunteer roles are utterly joyless, and possibly futile endeavours.
•Contributing to National Wushu Championship
•Traffic warden, assist in administrative work in the office
•Putting on make-up for cheerleaders, ferrying kids in between CCAs
•Escorting kids to the toilet
•Chaperons for excursions
•Buying groceries for parties
•Making sure kids don’t log on to Facebook during computer class
•Canteen duty (don’t they have PREFECTS for this?)
•Unpacking boxes, stacking, labelling of library books (No joy for volunteer mom in P1 ballot, 26 July 2007, ST)
•Manning game stalls
•Worst of all, acting in ridiculous skits
A cock and bull story
If you’ve ever for the dear life of me resorted to acting as a cock in a school skit just to clock 40 hours of voluntary work, remember to film the entire episode and show it to your child just before PSLE exam, using your harrowing sacrifice as motivation, maybe guilt, to do well. Some parents may find such mind-numbing tasks a pleasant break from their terminally boring jobs, until they release they need to ballot with other disgruntled parents when it comes to the crunch. The grouchy father who tells the kids to shut up on the excursion bus may still end up victorious over the bubbly, patient mother who teaches kids enriching activities like wrapping bazhang during the Dragon Boat Festival.
It would be interesting to have some data of what skills or tasks are correlated to registration success, but I’m guessing you need to be good with kids, have excellent communication and coaching skills, good project management and event organising i.e a teacher. Anyone else will just have to try their luck with blowing balloons, stacking books on shelves, pointing cars in the right direction or pulling weeds. -
what type of jobs parent volunteers are assigned to do to clock pv hours are immaterial if the ultimate objective is Phase2B priority (priority, not guarantee). so why the need to dig up and comment what type of jobs they will be requested to do? parents not happy,don’t pv la. but i reckon most of the time, the main grouses came from the pv selection, not the nature of the pv jobs itself. by saying that such are ‘meaningless’, are we not saying that teachers who do
•Contributing to National Wushu Championship
•Traffic warden, assist in administrative work in the office
•Putting on make-up for cheerleaders, ferrying kids in between CCAs
•Escorting kids to the toilet
•Chaperons for excursions
•Buying groceries for parties
•Making sure kids don’t log on to Facebook during computer class
•Canteen duty
•Unpacking boxes, stacking, labelling of library books
•Manning game stalls
•Worst of all, acting in ridiculous skits
are all wasting their time? maybe that’s why teachers are moody and don’t teach as effectively these days?
i will gladly pv for the sch that is less than 500m from my place with a shot at getting a better priority in an earlier phase and wash their fish tanks if only they have fish tanks for me to wash. even if they have fish tanks, who is to decide which parent is a better fish tank washer? -
jedamum:
i will gladly pv for the sch that is less than 500m from my place with a shot at getting a better priority in an earlier phase and wash their fish tanks if only they have fish tanks for me to wash. even if they have fish tanks, who is to decide which parent is a better fish tank washer?
then perhaps they should have different phases for PV...going by distance, ie, those living nearer get to choose type of task 1st, and if still cannot decide, then ballot!! :evil: -
jedamum:
:goodpost:what type of jobs parent volunteers are assigned to do to clock pv hours are immaterial if the ultimate objective is Phase2B priority (priority, not guarantee). so why the need to dig up and comment what type of jobs they will be requested to do? parents not happy,don't pv la. but i reckon most of the time, the main grouses came from the pv selection, not the nature of the pv jobs itself. by saying that such are 'meaningless', are we not saying that teachers who do
•Contributing to National Wushu Championship
•Traffic warden, assist in administrative work in the office
•Putting on make-up for cheerleaders, ferrying kids in between CCAs
•Escorting kids to the toilet
•Chaperons for excursions
•Buying groceries for parties
•Making sure kids don’t log on to Facebook during computer class
•Canteen duty
•Unpacking boxes, stacking, labelling of library books
•Manning game stalls
•Worst of all, acting in ridiculous skits
are all wasting their time? maybe that's why teachers are moody and don't teach as effectively these days?
i will gladly pv for the sch that is less than 500m from my place with a shot at getting a better priority in an earlier phase and wash their fish tanks if only they have fish tanks for me to wash. even if they have fish tanks, who is to decide which parent is a better fish tank washer? -
what is the definition of a Volunteer ?
refer dictionary:-
A volunteer is a person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking willingly, without pay, without any hidden intention nor motive to receive any benefit in return.
WHO are the ones that can truly offer altruistic Volunteer services, without expecting anything back in return ?
plenty !
1) Parents with children already enrolled in primary schools, in Primary 1 and 2.
example:
SCGS, MGS - anytime the school need help, just a phone call to round up parents with kids already enrolled inside the school will do. They will come down, offer help in whatever areas need help.
just mobilize this huge group is more than enough.
you know how big this group is ?
each year P1 intake abt 250 to 300 parents.
combine (P1 and P2) means ... around 600 parents.
more than enough parents on standby, to service our school anytime.
is like on call, doing \"national service\" to our school.
2) is those parents who are ALUMNI under phase 2A.
this is the group who knows the school best every detailed nitty gritty in and out, having spent 6 long years in primary school that mould us up, with correct education and right moral values. This is the group that binds emotional ties well with their alma mater.
once MOE announce all alumni must be active made compulsory - no more sleeping, this huge group of parents will flock back to school imediately, start clocking up active Parent Volunteer roles + clock up active Alumni activities. In short, we the Alumni will return school, and take over all the PV roles, over and above performing our own alumni roles. After all, are we not the ones 30 years ago, build up reputation of our own school painstakingly over several long years, through time and tide ?
Have you ever worked in an organization and tell your boss,
\"hey, boss i am very important, you know. I am not replaceable.\"
Try telling your boss that - see whether your boss will fire you, first to kick you out, see whether or not you're replaceable ! Making so much noise!
definitely, there is no such thing as - PVs not replacable.
There are always alternative work around solution.
We the 2A alumni will manage both, will mobilize all parents to come back at once and SERVE in our alma mater. Just a phone call away will do the job. The alumni will take over the PV roles as well.
once we round up enough alumni, internally we the alumni will split ourselves into 2 groups - one group perform alumni activities (eg: raise funds to fund and support all school's activities), another group perform usual PV roles. All these activities will be reported to our Principal every month - monthly report progress, plus another quarterly progress report. Principal will know at the tip of her finger readily, which alumni is involved with what activity, who's doing what ?
see, the alumni are on call to come back anytime, ready to do \"national service\" to our alma mater.
once this is implemented, nobody will dare to accuse a finger at any alumni anymore, \"See! This alumni is sleeping. Hence, they don't deserve to send kids back to their school.\"
just mobile this huge group is more than enough.
conclusion:-
mobilize above 2 groups - is more than enough to form TRUE, ALTRUISTIC, SINCERE \"Parent Volunteers\", without any expectation, hidden agenda or motive behind !
these 2 groups - P1 / P2 parents with kids currently studying / enrolled in school plus 2A alumni - can form such a HUGE group that do not need any outsider 2B anymore, creating so much complaints, kicking up great fuss, commotion, headache for everybody. 2B as an outsider haven't even come into the school, creating so much din, noise, commotion, headache!
note:-
Rosyth, a very hot popular school, had already set the precedent and the trend for all other schools to follow - had already abolished PV. -
then teachers should be just like uni professors, walk in LT, bla bla bla … walk out when time’s up
those principals and teachers who open car door at the road side every morning, doing umbrella service on rainy days, certainly make themselves look like fools -
phtthp:
:goodpost: i raise both hands and legs to support! :salute:what is the definition of a Volunteer ?
refer dictionary:-
A volunteer is a person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking willingly, without pay, without any hidden intention nor motive to receive any benefit in return.
WHO are the ones that can truly offer altruistic Volunteer services, without expecting anything back in return ?
plenty !
1) Parents with children already enrolled in primary schools, in Primary 1 and 2.
example:
SCGS, MGS - anytime the school need help, just a phone call to round up parents with kids already enrolled inside the school will do. They will come down, offer help in whatever areas need help.
just mobilize this huge group is more than enough.
2) is those parents who are ALUMNI under phase 2A.
this is the group who knows the school best, having spent 6 long years in primary school that mould us up, with correct education and right moral values. This is the group that binds emotional ties well with their alma mater.
once MOE announce all alumni must be active made compulsory - no more sleeping, this huge group of parents will flock back to school imediately, start clocking up active Parent Volunteer roles + clock up active Alumni activities. In short, we the Alumni will return school, and take over all the PV roles, over and above performing our own alumni roles. After all, are we not the ones 30 years ago, build up reputation of our own school ?
definitely, there is no such thing as PVs - not replacable.
once this is implemented, nobody will dare to accuse the alumni anymore, \"See! All the alumni are sleeping. Hence, they don't deserve to send kids back to their school.\"
just mobile this huge group is more than enough.
conclusion:-
mobilize above 2 groups - is more than enough to form TRUE, ALTRUISTIC, SINCERE \"Parent Volunteers\", without any expectation, hidden agenda or motive behind ! -
jedamum:
:goodpost:what type of jobs parent volunteers are assigned to do to clock pv hours are immaterial if the ultimate objective is Phase2B priority (priority, not guarantee). so why the need to dig up and comment what type of jobs they will be requested to do? parents not happy,don't pv la. but i reckon most of the time, the main grouses came from the pv selection, not the nature of the pv jobs itself. by saying that such are 'meaningless', are we not saying that teachers who do
•Contributing to National Wushu Championship
•Traffic warden, assist in administrative work in the office
•Putting on make-up for cheerleaders, ferrying kids in between CCAs
•Escorting kids to the toilet
•Chaperons for excursions
•Buying groceries for parties
•Making sure kids don’t log on to Facebook during computer class
•Canteen duty
•Unpacking boxes, stacking, labelling of library books
•Manning game stalls
•Worst of all, acting in ridiculous skits
are all wasting their time? maybe that's why teachers are moody and don't teach as effectively these days?
i will gladly pv for the sch that is less than 500m from my place with a shot at getting a better priority in an earlier phase and wash their fish tanks if only they have fish tanks for me to wash. even if they have fish tanks, who is to decide which parent is a better fish tank washer? -
Nebbermind:
Naughtie post!jedamum:
i will gladly pv for the sch that is less than 500m from my place with a shot at getting a better priority in an earlier phase and wash their fish tanks if only they have fish tanks for me to wash. even if they have fish tanks, who is to decide which parent is a better fish tank washer?
then perhaps they should have different phases for PV...going by distance, ie, those living nearer get to choose type of task 1st, and if still cannot decide, then ballot!! :evil:
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