Real reason behind Singapore’s obsession with tuition

[Binanti]

well i think you are right imami....... The current so called \"teach less, learn more\" system is to do away with the old system (after everyone complained about it for killing off the creativity of our people) of spoon-fed system/memorizing system and thus we are where we are now!



http://www.3gorillas.com/home-garden/dehumidifiers-3.html

[limlim]

autumnbronze:

limlim:

Anyway, many companies disallow moonlighting too, even for different industries like what you say.. whether they enforce or not, that is not relevant here, at this moment.

Errrrr, but isn't this the point of contention here :?

point of contention is MOE's policy.. they did not disallow moonlighting..

[limlim]

J and J:

It should be being MOE teacher is tough. With the number of students they handled 40 and even more per class + so many school activities especially if your leader enjoys lot of school PR activities, CCA, competitions, visits of VIPs and so on. Who initiates these activities? Should teachers handle these activities? Management should relook into these and free the teachers to focus teaching. Those activities can be outsource to those enrichment centres. Or the other way round, leave the teachers handle all these activities and engage tuition centre teacher to teach in the school since they have a way to help our children learn effectively. Would that be more productive?

I agree that teachers should not be tasked with non-teaching duties..

The main point now is, teachers, being heavily stressed, should not be allowed to moonlight.

[janet88]

verykiasu2010:

janet_lee88:

1) Are primary school teachers trained to teach ?
2) Can primary school teachers equip P6 students knowledge to do well for PSLE ?
3) If the answer to both questions is YES, then why do our kids have to go for tuition ?

1. yes
2. yes
3. because kiasu parents scared to lose out to the next kid who may score higher than own kid - scared to lose face, scared the child cannot get into preferred school, scared to lose bragging rights among relatives during CNY dinner .... the list goes on

It doesn't mean that when kids go for tuition, it's bcos they have kiasu parents who are afraid to lose to relatives' kids. If my kid doesn't have to go for tuition, I will be more proud and there is no need to brag.

[verykiasu2010]

cherryc:

verykiasu2010:

3. because kiasu parents scared to lose out to the next kid who may score higher than own kid - scared to lose face, scared the child cannot get into preferred school, scared to lose bragging rights among relatives during CNY dinner .... the list goes on

What if we tell you we are not , would you believe us ? My friends and I do not compare to the next person, but I am only worried as a whole generation, we lost out to the external environment if WE ALL go off the wrong track. Many parents have other means to send their kids overseas etc and they may do as well if not better. I would appreciate all those with successful careers and successful kids to share their experience instead to fill up the gaps in the education system.

From the link :

http://singaporemind.blogspot.sg/2012/03/importance-of-expectations-in-education.html

\"\"You think about it ...does it make sense to put our children through this intense competition in education only to have them lose out when it comes to university places and jobs to foreigners later on? The whole system puts Singaporeans on a treadmill to no where. The intense competition in the school system merely serve to push down our own children into pigeon holes of declining expectations to enter a workforce in which they have little edge over some one from Philippines, China or India. This whole system is not about making the Singaporeans better than everyone else but making the Singaporean as bad as everyone else.\"\"

sure I believe. last time a BBBA can get in NUS Biz school. now the 10th percentile is already AAA ....... or many AAAA have no chance to get into med school at all......... if I know my kid can slack and get BBB and still get into NUS, I won't bother about tuition or to be at the front of the cohort. But that is not the case and I am looking at a few hundred thousand $ to be poured to overseas uni :stompfeet: :stompfeet: :stupid: :mad: :moneyflies: :frustrated: :imdrowning: :?:

[verykiasu2010]

limlim:

J and J:

It should be being MOE teacher is tough. With the number of students they handled 40 and even more per class + so many school activities especially if your leader enjoys lot of school PR activities, CCA, competitions, visits of VIPs and so on. Who initiates these activities? Should teachers handle these activities? Management should relook into these and free the teachers to focus teaching. Those activities can be outsource to those enrichment centres. Or the other way round, leave the teachers handle all these activities and engage tuition centre teacher to teach in the school since they have a way to help our children learn effectively. Would that be more productive?

I agree that teachers should not be tasked with non-teaching duties..

The main point now is, teachers, being heavily stressed, should not be allowed to moonlight.

schools with enlightened principals who are also good administrator and implementer, good manager and motivator, able to develop robust system and processes do make a huge difference

unfortunately not all principals are equally capable / superb; if only they could be cloned

[limlim]

1. You're talking about \"someone\". I also know of many who earn $15k/mth as \"part-time\" listeners and letter writer.


Let's talk about general industry, media salaries, shall we? picking up on isolated cases isn't very conductive..

2. Bubble burst.. that I am not sure.. But I'm quite sure they enter eyes wide open, because the interviewer would have highlight it again and again that teacher's job scope are not limited to teaching duties.

Many who choose teaching as a mid-career switch had probably experienced the harsh realities outside.

Just curious.. those who quit teaching.. did they found x times higher paying jobs outside? or realise MOE paying them more than what others are willing to pay?

3. moonlighting, conflict of interest.

drastic situations call for drastic measures, fine. MOE should have blanket ban, but teacher who want to moonlight may apply for permission and justify it. Then MOE could allow special cases with needs to moonlight.

This would prevent abuse of MOE's kindness at the expense of govt sch students' welfare.

Or they can moonlight in another industry that does not give rise to conflict of interest situations, to be fair to the pple who paid their salaries.

autumnbronze:

limlim:

Teachers are not lowly paid.. their salary is highly competitive and better than what many MNC offers.

I must be daft again. Forgive me bro limlim. I know someone in an MNC earning X times more than a teacher leh ...

limlim:

If being teachers is undesirable, why the MOE podium outside the interview room got no lack of applicants..

Good point!

But as mentioned, most likely, they are entering this profession totally unaware of what is unexpected out of them, only to have their 'bubble' burst not very much later. I know of someone, while undergoing his practicum, was given the best classes to teach. The school was afraid of allocating him normal academic and normal tech classes.

limlim:

IF being a teacher is so TOUGH like some of the pple here say.. how can they ever afford the extra energy to moonlight? doesn't makes sense to me..

Another good point.

Yet, as mentioned in the previous post, desperate situations calls for desperate measures, eg repayment of study loan or even saving for the dream marriage. I also am aware of someone who moonlighted in the past, but only during fridays and saturdays.

Now, why would anyone want to burn their weekends unneccesarily??

[limlim]

Chenonceau:

That's just it! We should stop blaming the Teachers. Good organisations get good performance out of average and poor performers. They don't just point the finger at Teachers and say \"They're incompetent\" and at parents and say \"They're kiasu\".

I blame MOE for defective policies.

[verykiasu2010]

cherryc:

I was told some teachers from good schools like nanyang pri go home earlier and happily. So maybe the school environment does breed good nurturing teachers and better students. And maybe the teachers have more time to prepare materials, all maybe after all, the kids are just rich enough to attend the elitist tuitions or have well-educated parents to teach them.

reminders : not all kids from NYPS are from wealthy background. many many of them are from humble background

I dare say NYPS has very good system and processes in place, there are master teachers, experienced and capable subject head, level head / driver, etc and I personally know some of the teachers were invited to share best practices at conferences.

They also have the follow through approach from pri 5 to 6, and fellow teachers do corroborate and share info

However, even if this were to be replicated in other schools, the devil is in the details. And how many principals will follow exactly the same approach ? same system ? same motivation ? ability to motivate and implement ?

[autumnbronze]

limlim:

autumnbronze:

[quote=\"limlim\"]

Anyway, many companies disallow moonlighting too, even for different industries like what you say.. whether they enforce or not, that is not relevant here, at this moment.

Errrrr, but isn't this the point of contention here :?

point of contention is MOE's policy.. they did not disallow moonlighting..[/quote]
Ohhhh, am not aware of this. Any leads that confirm this??