Asia spending billions on tutors: study

[limlim]

I wouldn’t be surprised if there are tuition center operators or moonlighting school teachers here too.


I don’t see why are are so many opposition when some of the suggestion can only be good for the education industry, such as adopting good practice and regulation.

And controlling the tuition industry, screening tutors etc… or maybe require them to take up part time teaching course to get license to teach. It can only benefit the parents.

And, I am a taxpayer and I am concerned if teachers are devoting the best to the public schools and not private practices.

Of course, am not saying all teachers are bad, MOE no good.

[iRabbit]

C’mon, limlim.


So you suggestion of [the criteria of] licensing tutors is based solely on their academic qualification? That’s a lazy way to licensing issit? I for one, doesnt have any teaching ‘certification’, but I dare say I’m well qualified to coach any lower pri sch pupils with similar ability as my child, having worked closely with him for the last few years.

Your suggested criteria of licensing ‘qualified’ tutors would have in one swoop, disqualified many experienced and good tutors - when the responsibility of gauging the suitability of tutor-pupil combination is solely a parent’s prerogative to make. The chemistry of teaching is one of soft skill as well, not just binary - have/don’t have cert so straight forward.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, what do we hope to achieve in all this [licensing]?

[oxyleo]

buds:

Busymom:

I do not think that some forummers here lack empathy per se. It is perhaps the constant \"attacking\" by some on MOE and teachers over multiple threads in this forum over the last few months that caused some wanting to speak up and present an alternative view to balance things up a bit.

Sadly, it's always been misrepresented as having the perfect life or the perfect children... Between the lines, we have shared plenty and exhaustively... but oh well... nobody truly listens... or reads (in this case)...

:hugs: Likewise, some of us who are \"challenging\" the status quo are also misrepresented as making sweeping statements. Spreading myths. The feeling is mutual. In that sense, we are square on this? :celebrate:

[Lilac66]

cherryc:

S'pore ways work, but only with tuition - Straits Times 14 July 2012



MS YEO Boon Eng argues that our education system facilitates social mobility, and therefore should be maintained as it is ('Tough Singapore way works'; Wednesday).

I beg to differ.

I do not believe that any Singaporean is asking for our system to be dumbed down. What many parents want is a more balanced and rounded education that prepares our children effectively for the future, yet allows them time to play and develop holistically, and gives families time to bond.

The fact that a few exceptional students from lower-income families can succeed despite the current system is not proof that our education system facilitates social mobility.

How can we tell ourselves that all students stand an equal chance of moving up the social ladder, when success in our education system is highly dependent on the extra tuition and enrichment lessons that wealthier parents can afford and poorer parents cannot?

Because of the way our education system is structured and operated, students from lower-income families cannot compete equally with those from better-off families.

That, in principle, is unacceptable.

If our education system is as effective as we like to believe, then we might ask ourselves why so many children need so much extra tutoring at every level.

There is no point having 'free' education when families must spend thousands of dollars more to supplement what is being taught in school, so that their children can cope.

In fact, it would be interesting to find out how Singapore would fare in international educational rankings if we selected children who have not had the benefit of external tutoring to sit the ranking tests.

We must review how our education system operates.

As a nation, we need to be willing to spend more money on education.

We need to have smaller classes and more age-appropriate testing, and discourage the 'tuition' mindset and unhealthy competition, especially among primary schools, for the 'top school' label, as well as stop our obsession with international rankings.

Our schools and their top managements must refocus on the core purpose of education - to educate our children academically and as social beings, and to ensure that every Singaporean child has an equal shot at future success, regardless of whether his family can afford tuition.

Wily Wan (Ms)

Thanks cherryc for posting this article. Believe it or not, I had wanted to post this too. Telepathy again? Lol!
Anyway, it's a good piece to chew over. :celebrate:

[iRabbit]

limlim:

And, I am a taxpayer and I am concerned if teachers are devoting the best to the public schools and not private practice.

Of course, am not saying all teachers are bad, MOE no good.

I'm also a taxpayer and I'm concerned when I see suggestions that will consume a lot of resources if implemented, but in return yields debatable, if any benefit - similar viewpoint as mentioned by others earlier.

[verykiasu2010]

oxyleo:

buds:

[quote=\"Busymom\"]I do not think that some forummers here lack empathy per se. It is perhaps the constant \"attacking\" by some on MOE and teachers over multiple threads in this forum over the last few months that caused some wanting to speak up and present an alternative view to balance things up a bit.

Sadly, it's always been misrepresented as having the perfect life or the perfect children... Between the lines, we have shared plenty and exhaustively... but oh well... nobody truly listens... or reads (in this case)...

:hugs: Likewise, some of us who are \"challenging\" the status quo are also misrepresented as making sweeping statements. Spreading myths. The feeling is mutual. In that sense, we are square on this? :celebrate:[/quote]may not be mutual

MOE bashers and teacher bashers are unwilling to quote which school, don't even talk about which teacher. constant repeating the same accusations but unwilling to even name the school, has zero credibility. if one is so unhappy then why afraid to name the school ?

people quoting examples of teachers who care inevitably quote the school name as well.

who is spreading myths ? if the schools are so bad then why the rush for it in pri 1 registration year after year? stupid right ? (not referring to you)

[Lilac66]

limlim:

I don't see why are are so many opposition when some of the suggestion can only be good for the education industry, such as adopting good practice and regulation.

Ya, I'm wondering if there was some misunderstanding of your posts along the way... :?

[cherryc]

joliemum wrote:

I belong to the 10% who don’t send my kids to tuition. But I may be soon joining the 90%, coz I’ve been hearing friends with kids not being able to cope without tuition… sigh… any good tuition centres to recommend for P1 and P3 next year?


I believe some parents act when they hear their trusted friends’ experiences/seeing the advertisements of top scorers going to certain tuition centers / seeing their children unable to cope. Most of them will be able to discern that it is not ALL this or that fault. If not, we have a bigger problem with the mentality of adult Singaporeans not giving credits where it is due.

We still hold our teachers in high esteem, we have been giving annual lunch treat for our jc teacher since we left school in 19xx……and many are enjoying free treatments from our classmates who became doctors/dentists etc. MOE has done a wonderful job for our generation and we are just ensuring they are doing the same for our next generation.

[oxyleo]

buds:

ksi:

People tend to rant under pressure...

Some tho tend to just keep ranting away. So some of us have empathized quite enough already. Soooo many replicated threads just to rant leh. Not constructive. This thread so far not too bad. Yet..[quote]
This is a tough one I agree. Maybe we need to count to the ranting the number of provocations that led to the ranting? I agree some of you have expressed empathy, but some have also expressly denied any form of clarification made to the contrary, with harsh words, to \"Wake people up\"!. :mad: Between (1) being accused of lacking empathy and (2) being accused of spouting nonsense and needing to be \"smacked to our senses\" :snooze: , which would you find more insulting?

Can we call it a truce here too, on behalf of both sides? :celebrate:

I agree if we take away the noise, this thread has served useful.

[autumnbronze]

Limlim,


What you deem as an accusation, is by and large an observation.

Please do not use the nature of your job as an excuse. You are online, I am sure you are aware that there are certain etiquette (understood) that should be observed.

If you can’t, then don’t post.

My 2 cents.