Is GEP really necessary?

[Nebbermind]

phtthp:

so after so many batches of GEP kids had graduated, did MOE keep track how successful they are now that they've grown up ?

is it even necessary, ie, the tracking of these students?

I always feel that the GEP is like MOE giving these bunch of kids a short cut in what is a very long journey. If u donch take advantage of it and maintain the lead, u will drop back to the main crowd. Alot more still need to be done for future success (and we can still debate on the meaning of success....)

[KSP]

I feel GEP is necessary when the children are young to let them learn together as these are more advanced kids.


I remember watching an interview with a JC principal who said the top students can come from mainstream, IP or GEP. So it doesn’t guarentee success as their thinking will change over the years as they get older.

When they join the workforce it will be a totally different ball game.

[Zann]

Nebbermind:

well, on the brighter side, the prog is only for 3 yrs in pr school. So all is not lost for those who missed the boat earlier on coz it's another game when in sec school...ok, the geppers do bring along with them some advantage but I feel that this can be easily lost if it's not built on during the 1st 2 yrs in sec school.

Those who might have missed the boat at P3 could be picked up today again thru the DSA GAT test again. By then testing of English is not necessary since PSLE T-score include English result is also taken into consideration.

[Nebbermind]

phtthp:

bec i noticed that this GEP thing had created a lot of jealousy amongst parents.

Perhaps only affect those mommies who b!tch around at the school tuckshop

we donch hang around these areas...never got to feel the intensity of the jealousy

[concern2]

How come since 1984, there hasn't been any research done on the success of GEP? Or is there already? Aren't we all talking about what we think by what we see? How about those that we have not encountered or heard about? If GEP students have been specially selected, isn't there any data or record such as:


1) What each individual has been selected based on, their starting strengths n weaknesses etc.
2) By the end of the GEP years, how have their strengths soared and how have their weaknesses been strengthen/ overcome?
3) The areas of expertise that GEP students end up in - do they correspond to what they have been 'identified' for?
4) How each GEP student fair in PSLE and which secondary school they end up going?
5) How do they continue to fair beyond GEP - how GEP have either become a stepping/drowning stone?

What are the figures like? Is there any pattern to it all?

Surely if MOE wants to relook into GEP, all these and other relevant data needs to be collected and CAN be collected? Or has there already - on a few pre-selected ones?
If there is no record of this group of specially selected students, after so many years that GEP has been in place, how can we then assess its success/ failure? If no record / tracking has been intended in the first place, then what purpose does it really serve? Or, has there been any independent researches done on GEP itself?

If the assumption is that by the age of 10, ANY CHILD who is able to attain high scores in the set GEP tests, particularly areas of English N Maths, is qualified to be termed 'GIFTED', then, is this still applicable TODAY, when such scores can be attained through prior training and practice? AND if this is possible, then, does this mean that we have INCREASING GIFTED CHILDREN that the GEP system is becoming invalid today? That the GEP system should be reassessed, with different sets of criteria? And perhaps, even, giving it an overhaul?

[toddles]

I’m sure there have been many internal studies by the GE unit in MOE… just that the findings are never made public.

[Sun_2010]

toddles:

I'm sure there have been many internal studies by the GE unit in MOE.... just that the findings are never made public.

I think so too.

The point is do they need to be made public?
Do most of us have the ability/expertise to judge the data?
I think not.

To some all GEPpers have to be successful, to some most, and to some if even 30% have greatly benefitted it is a success.

To some PSLE score is a criteria of success, to some it is not.

To me personally, the System needs tweeking. Specially the selection process such that hothousing doesnt help.

[concern2]

Sun_2010:

toddles:

I'm sure there have been many internal studies by the GE unit in MOE.... just that the findings are never made public.

I think so too.

The point is do they need to be made public?
Do most of us have the ability/expertise to judge the data?
I think not.

To some all GEPpers have to be successful, to some most, and to some if even 30% have greatly benefitted it is a success.

To some PSLE score is a criteria of success, to some it is not.

To me personally, the System needs tweeking. Specially the selection process such that hothousing doesnt help.

Perhaps it is not made public. But is it readily available in the first place, for whoever is interested to find out?

Is there a criteria on WHO is accessible to the data? What is the criteria?

You are right that everyone has their opinion of what success is. So what is MOE's gauge of success? 30%?

What HVR said struck a chord in me. How are we to know, that a hothoused kid - who enjoys attending all the lessons and doing the worksheets or whatever, is not Gifted naturally? So what IF the child has been sent to GEP preparation classes? And how are we to know, say, after we add an interview, that the child is naturally gifted or not - like what if he has selective mutism or some other forms of social anxiety that has not been identified yet which he ended up not saying a word during the interview? Then what? Go through a different test next? Or simply, \"Next!\"

I don't really have much to say, because I find that we do not have sufficient information to know enough to make any worthy contribution. Anything discussed here is much too abstract, and much to be speculated over. This is how things are like most of the time - the decisions and judgement made behind closed doors, by a few people.

[Nebbermind]

phtthp:

bec i noticed that this GEP thing had created a lot of jealousy amongst parents.

What makes GEP DIE-DIE-MUST-HAVE??

[2ppaamm]

Nebbermind:

phtthp:

bec i noticed that this GEP thing had created a lot of jealousy amongst parents.

What makes GEP DIE-DIE-MUST-HAVE??

Parents. I have 5 kids, not all went for the selection tests by their own choice (I'm not sure who went and who didn't, also not sure whose forms I signed or not signed), and one went into GEP. The ones who are fairing great are the ones who did not go to GEP, with great EQ. They all went on to uni in their teens and fair very well. The one who went to GEP is still an unknown??? As I see it, he is not very different from the ones who didn't, just an extra label, which may or may not help.

As I see it, uni students from GEP do not stand out, and I have to ask before I know who is from GEP. They do not necessarily have better skills, think better or have higher order thinking skills, they do not fair worse socially, and there's no more elitism. When others find out they are GEP, there's not much reaction. Question is... what is the fuzz all about, except the chip on the parents' shoulders for that few years?! Irony.