By Election for Hougang

[verykiasu2010]

hokkiengirl:

Yup, probably. I am haven't commented on the Vicious Pri Maths cycle thingy as my kids are not in upper pri, so I have no real concept of how bad it is. However, as someone who voted for PAP the last GE, I feel sad that the Education Minister has chosen not to engage parents in a meaningful discussion with regard to this topic. It's not something that MOE can just say, 'You're wrong; we're right; end of discussion'. I feel that the PAP has actually done some good work and there are good ministers around (yes, yes, I know it's far from perfect. Please don't flame me, people). It's just very frustrating when some others don't realise the very real possibility of a political backlash when it comes to issues like these. Sigh. How come they don't read the KSP forum????

Minister Heng comes from MAS, I guess he will need SOME TIME to learn the rope

Since he says all schools are same good, we say all ministers have to be equally good lor

[Strparent]

fightingmom:

catch bits and pieces of the rally speeches ...


Anyone be kind enough to put up the videos again ?

Showing my parents tomorrow when i visit them...

TIA

fightingmom,

a recap of some of the rally speeches on 24 May 2012, enjoy :celebrate:

Low Thia Khiang - bery long speech in Mandarin, Teochew and English
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKb60obwqPQ][/youtube]

Khaw Boon Wan
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9fBD-Ywczs][/youtube]

Sylvia Lim
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xpFdhwPp4w][/youtube]

Heng Swee Keat
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5tUFEXYoUE][/youtube]

Chen Show Mao
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqP2Vvb6AKE][/youtube][/quote]

Pritam Singh
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haWXlr2K1QY][/youtube]

Gerald Giam
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w4YFb1eRuA][/youtube]

Yu-Foo Yee Shoon
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAWzKZ-be3g][/youtube]

Png Eng Huat
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIk9hAAPejk][/youtube]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOOvVaPGqrs][/youtube]

[fightingmom]

:thankyou: :thankyou: Strparent!

[MMM]

verykiasu2010:

I had two screens on, one WP and one PAP, plus a conference call going on ..... my counterparts overseas were like ....'what is going on ??' .... :rotflmao:

Not on mute ????

I was actually wondering if the WP cheers will drown the HG stadium crowd...

Just read about DC dropping a tear or two for the HG voters.... Omg.... will he cry when he get attacked in the parliament next time.... but errr.... he is not opposition so he should not get attack. The aunties and uncles/ big sisters and brothers will protect him.

Sorry huh... I am not touched by a tear or two. I always see that in children when they try to get what they want. No sympathy votes.

[hquek]

Hee, he better dun make it into a habit. TPL mentioned about someone before for dropping tears right? Anyway, he was only in HG for a year right? Not twenty, not sure how he got so emo about it leh.

[MMM]

hokkiengirl:

I see. I don't live in HG, but I was thinking that the 'best' person for the job (applicable to both parties) would be the person who has been on the ground in HG for a while as he would understand the concerns of the residents better. It's very interesting for me as a non-HG resident to know that OYK would be a considered a better option than DC by some in this case! Cos it's about national issues above local issues? Thanks for sharing your views.

Actually is HG so different from the rest of Spore???? I feel that the singaporeans' concerns are similar regardless where you live in. So it's still a national issue. What is a local issue???? Maybe it doesn't really apply to us as we stay in a private estate. In addition, we are not the type who would go see a MP. So actually does it really matter who wins or who is our MP??? Probably no. So whether it is OYK or DC it doesn't matter. It's just that since they are harping on the \"best candidate\", then to us, OYK being a ministerial quality is obviously a better candidate then DC?????

With our kids in primary school, I am bothered by their future. Eg. education, will more places in university go to sponsored foreigners who are not bonded and leave after a while. While our kids cannot get a place because of that policy and we've to support them through overseas education and for those who cannot afford, this means the kids have to join the workforce earlier ????

I am not against foreign talents but in the last company I worked for, it was 40% Indians, 40% pinoys, 10% msian and 10% Sporeans..... These are not some specialised jobs that can only be performed by foreigners. It was marketing, supply chain, finance jobs that a spore grad can do. Yes, I acknowledge that the pinoys are good in service industry but what happens then to those aunties who used to hold such jobs ????

What about the train systems???? I seldom take the train and yesterday I had to as I had a meeting in town and I wanted to ensure I was not stuck in traffic since I wanted to be home in time for rally. It was packed like sardine and people couldn't get in till the 2nd and 3rd or 4th train.... I was counting my blessings that I don't have to go through that everyday.

In speaking with my boss's boss from US yesterday, she was commenting that things in Singapore are very expensive. Eg. housing, cars and also the retail goods. She is a high income earner but yet she cannot bring herself to shop. She can now understand why people shop like crazy in US.... She even encouraged me to do more shopping when I am there next week.... Then at the rally... I heard them commenting that singapore is now the 9th most expensive cities to live in. Yes it's true.... how are our kids going to afford even HDB flats in the future???

Also my impression of PAP MPs are people who goes round the estate only during election. The elitest sitting high up in the ivory tower who has forgotten the man on the street. So just imagine how I felt when I saw CSM a couple of times in the last 1 year in the estate by himself and connecting with people. I like it!!!

For me, I feel that it's all about control and checks. We saw how the government start to apologise and listen after the last election. Maybe they seriously do need a wake up call so they don't become complacent.

But I am pro PAP in representing Singapore. Though we need control and checks, we need a stable government as well to attract businesses and investment. I don't think losing 1 seat will cause them much harm since it was never theirs to begin with. As we also do not have sufficient talent in the opposition so it's not really likely for opposition to be stronger than them in the short term.

Just my personal view as a HG voter.

[MMM]

hquek:

Hee, he better dun make it into a habit. TPL mentioned about someone before for dropping tears right? Anyway, he was only in HG for a year right? Not twenty, not sure how he got so emo about it leh.

Hey... maybe he thinks he is trying to use his tears to fight the tuesday heavy downpour. Who gets wetter???? Or maybe just trying to melt aunties' heart.... I don't know

[Intermezzo]

Chenonceau:

No one would mock them if they didn't treat us like idiots in the way they dig their heels into their policies (especially education policy). Come on, who truly believed that All Schools Are Good? No one would mock them if they didn't gloss over the truth with ineffectual denials. Come on, who truly believed that PSLE standards did not rise over the years? No one would mock them if they TOOK RESPONSIBILITY. Come on, which parent believes the MOE line that ONLY parents are to blame for the tuition phenomenon?


At the very least, SHARE the responsibility with parents instead of pushing it all to us. It takes TWO hands to clap.

Come on Chen... it's very sian to come into some innocuous-looking thread hoping for a glimpse of CSM's cute smile and running smack into the same old moan..

Please don't try to speak for all the parents. For every parent complaining and making noise about education, there might be another 2 whose kids are happy and enjoying school. Of course the one making more noise gets your attention, right?

Just to answer your questions above..

1. Yes I believe that in Singapore, all schools are good. Or at least, good enough.

2. Yes of course I believe that PSLE's standard went up over the years.
Frankly, I'd be more worried if it didn't. And I'd be very worried if it remains stagnant since my time, ie a whole generation ago.

The process of Learning is getting more fun. (Ipad!) The sharing of knowledge-related resources is getting so easy with better books and the TV and internet. Human knowledge and intelligence are progressing, of course the exams must change to cater to that, otherwise it's just too boring for the kids, right?

3. Did MOE say that \"ONLY parents are to blame for the tuition phenomenon\"?
Honestly, I didn't read that anywhere. But yes, I think parents are LARGELY to blame for the tuition phenomenon.

People say that not all schools are same good.. a handful are MUCH better than others.. Much better resources Much better teachers Much better computers Much better canteen food blah blah blah..

Then take NYPS. One of the top primary school in singapore, right?
With the best resources best worksheets etc etc etc right? So of course, there should be no need for NYPS students to waste money on tuition right?
Then how come 70 or 80% (or whatever figure.. can't remember now, sorry) of the students still go for tuition / enrichment?

Parents sent them what.....

Parents need to believe in themselves. No need to do the 一窝蜂 thing for tuition like singaporeans do with any good hawker food. No need to succumb to peer pressure or scare tactics or posters put up by tuition centres. This is your own kids you're talking about. Observe them, be interested in what they have to say and what they want to show you, and think for yourselves the best ways to motivate and encourage them.

Is it possible to do well in the PSLE without tuition? Of course. Hundreds and thousands of kids have done that. My kids have done that, and frankly, the so-called \"method\" i used is so simple that i would feel very embarrassed about sharing it, or even just calling it a \"method\" at all. It is nothing more than just common sense.

Can MOE change for the better? Of course, but then, so can anyone of us.
Is MOE really world class as it claims? Frankly, i couldn't care less what it decides to call itself. When it comes to education for my kids, what I am concerned about is doing what I can do to get the best out of whatever system we are in, rather than to let the system get the better of me.

[concern2]

verykiasu2010:

MMM:

You can catch WP videos on their FB. It's up to date.


The rain came right after the rally ended. Trust Heaven is kind to them as well.

High spirited and highly charged rally :rahrah: :rahrah:

Wonder how is PAP turnout.... Anyway, they should have alot of supporters.... from other wards.

I had two screens on, one WP and one PAP, plus a conference call going on ..... my counterparts overseas were like ....'what is going on ??' .... :rotflmao:

:rotflmao: Ok lah, you win liao! So what's the highlight from the PAP speeches har? Haven't got time to watch them yet. KBW seems to know 'a lot' about what is going in WP leh, did he leaked more info this time? :rub hands:
Oh yeah, I should just go to the newsstands...

[concern2]

ttlkbs:

Feel really sad that pple here are getting more like Taiwan, mocking at our government becomes an entertainment to them!

ttlkbs, I can resonate with you. There's a part on this thread that I refused to join in, because I didn't think it appropriate to associate elections with entertainment, and that it should even be celebrated with :rahrah: However, as things moved on and with twists of things, my mindset changed. I was :yikes: , then :nailbite: , then , and :sick: and :skeptical: then :lightrod: , then :? and :please: and :frustrated: :stompfeet: :slapshead: :stupid: :mad: :rant: :nunchuk: ......So, don't you think it feels like watching a movie? - Unless, that is, one has missed out important scenes along the way and :scratchhead: :siao: :roll: ...

Hee hee...