Outrage over kindergarten's 'tuition' classes

[hquek]

Agree. What is it that the teachers are not doing in daily classes thatbthey have to build in extra lessons? Dun tell me that kids as young as 3 are supposed to have full day classes? Woahhhhh

[Strparent]

[quote]
One parent, Madam Tan Meiyin, felt that it was \"a matter of packaging\".

The 30-year-old business development assistant manager and mother of three, said she sends her eldest daughter to such extra classes conducted by the kindergarten she is attending.

But the kindergarten termed it as \"preparatory classes for Primary One\".

Madam Tan said: \"It's about the exposure that my daughter gets, so that she wouldn't be too surprised by the Primary One syllabus, which is very different from the K2 syllabus.\"
[/quote] http://i39.tinypic.com/2vlruyd.gif\"> errrr, I thought that was what K1,K2 suppose to do - prepare kids for P1 ?

since when did Kindergarten become a childcare nia, and lessons have to pay extra de ?

I am beginning to agree with Limlim more and more - this tuition wave is becoming bigger and bigger, so much that everyone and every org starts to look for opportunities to milk the kanchiong kiasu parents ....... and many of them are asking for it indirectly by opening themselves up to be fleeced.
http://i43.tinypic.com/v68cd1.gif\">

limlim:

LOLMum:

Tuition agencies contacted by The New Paper said that there is demand for tuition at the K1 and K2 levels, though it is much lower than for older children.

\"Parents want tuition for their K1 and K2 children to prepare them for the Primary One syllabus,\" said Mr han.


This article was first published in The New Paper.

Those parents are one of the cause of the current pathetic state of education system..

bcoz the students are so well prepared, the school teachers might proceed at accelerated pace and not diligently teach what they are originally supposed to teach.. and also to test at more forwarded level.. forcing the other parents to seek tuition to try to catch up and the vicious cycle repeats.... really shd ban tuition centers....

though banning is kind of extreme and unlikely, some form of control could be necessary to curb this meritocracy scramble.........
time to cho kang, MPs and MOE.

Oppsgal:

Why cannot teach during school lessons :?

opportunity ? can make extra moo ? imo, the cycle is evolving to a 'If I don't do it, other people will' scenario http://i40.tinypic.com/24b6vlw.gif\">

[limlim]

Strparent:

this tuition wave is becoming bigger and bigger, so much that everyone and every org starts to look for opportunities to milk the kanchiong kiasu parents ....... and many of them are asking for it indirectly by opening themselves up to be fleeced.

Exactly.... right on the spot.. :goodpost:

Strparent:

limlim:

Those parents are one of the cause of the current pathetic state of education system..

bcoz the students are so well prepared, the school teachers might proceed at accelerated pace and not diligently teach what they are originally supposed to teach.. and also to test at more forwarded level.. forcing the other parents to seek tuition to try to catch up and the vicious cycle repeats.... really shd ban tuition centers....

though banning is kind of extreme and unlikely, some form of control could be necessary to curb this meritocracy scramble.........
time to cho kang, MPs and MOE.

Oppsgal:

Why cannot teach during school lessons :?

opportunity ? can make extra moo ? imo, the cycle is evolving to a 'If I don't do it, other people will' scenario http://i40.tinypic.com/24b6vlw.gif\">

Agree that it is too extreme, as well as some from of control is needed....

How about like.. start with ban advertising? like what they do for the casinos.. offer your services.. but don't go and disturb the heartlanders....

[SAHM_TAN]

Why the outrage? I thought it’s very common for K1 and K2 even as young as N2 kids to have enrichment or tuition? Just have to look at all the little kids coming out of the various pte centres. Maybe the parents of the kids from the kindy cannot afford to pay the pte centres, so they are asking the kindy to offer it at a subsidised rate.


I’m curious, for parents who are aiming for the top and very popular primary schools do you enroll your kids for extra classes? I have a fren who engaged a one to one Chinese tutution for his kid becos he will be going to a SAP school.

[Brenda10]

I remembered in 2005 when DD was in K2, the childcare had conducted additional phonics class and we paid around $40 -50 for a term. We also engaged a China Teacher teaching DD HYPI before she enter P1.

[Oppsgal]

Brenda10:

I remembered in 2005 when DD was in K2, the childcare had conducted additional phonics class and we paid around $40 -50 for a term. We also engaged a China Teacher teaching DD HYPI before she enter P1.

Why don't teach own child at home?

If everything also tuition, :moneyflies: .

I would only bring kid to tuition if I really don't know how to teach.

I believe give birth to kids, parents should spent the time with kids. Be it in education or what...try first before outsource.

[SAHM_TAN]

$40-$50 per term is cheap compared to $100plus per month in pte centres, excluding CCs.


I think the gvt must look into the curriculum of kindergartens. Some teach phonics and some don’t. This is only one area.

[iRabbit]

I think the crux of the matter is the misunderstanding caused by poor communication that those ‘enrichment lessons’ are compulsory. I agree that enrichment should never be compulsory.


However I have a different take when we are suggesting that we should ban enrichment Ctr altogether. As someone who sent my kid for P1 preparation classes, I saw the benefits. It is my prerogative as a parent to want to offer the best I can for my child. So if I a) think that my kid can benefit from enrichment b) finds them financially affordable, who is to say that i should refrain from doing so? Who has the right to take away my prerogative to do the best to my child?

Reading some of the posts here, I almost feel that I’m committing a crime. As for the externality that more students being well prepared will drive the std up, why must we assume that it is a given that MOE has to keep abiding to the dreaded bell curve (Chen has written extensively on this).

Going by the same logic, can I ask post-graduate education to be banned cos more educated workforce will earn more, driving the property market and causing me to be disadvantaged?

Different parents, different parenting styles, different perspective. I respect that. So please don’t assume that parents who send their kids for enrichment go in blindly, waiting to be fleeced.

[jedamum]

it is wrong usage of words la. PCF do provide enrichment classes…the one that my ds1 attended last time…the curriculum was mainly to teach interactions and basic skills (the amount of stuff ds1 did/learnt in 2yrs, my ds2 did in 1 term in his preschool!!). it was definitely not enough for P1 prep, so the option of enrichment classes at a cheaper rate was a relief for parents like us who wished to have additional help for our kids. similarly for my ds2’s preschool, they have more expensive enrichment available for the kids (where you can also pay a fee and the sch bus will fetch after the enrichment classes). we did not opt because the curriculum offered by the preschool is good enough for us. it is always good to have options.

[Brenda10]

Oppsgal:

Brenda10:

I remembered in 2005 when DD was in K2, the childcare had conducted additional phonics class and we paid around $40 -50 for a term. We also engaged a China Teacher teaching DD HYPI before she enter P1.

Why don't teach own child at home?

If everything also tuition, :moneyflies: .

I would only bring kid to tuition if I really don't know how to teach.

I believe give birth to kids, parents should spent the time with kids. Be it in education or what...try first before outsource.

We are not good in phonics and HYPI as such we let DD joined the class that offered by the childcare and found a China teacher for her.

I think these learning have helped her as during the P1 to now Sec 1 she has not much problem in handling spelling and 听写.