Is GEP really necessary?
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tck:
Actually I had Brits for teachers when I was in JC. And I agree that they have influenced my thinking. My mentality is a little different...hmmmmm more anti establishment?.... :nailbite: I wonder if there are still Brit teachers around??? Actually true that cannot have all like them :rotflmao:Focusing on small class sizes and low student-teacher ratio, the teaching sector (primary and secondary) is one where I would definitely welcome FT. What does everyone think? Of course must be quality teachers lah. Since we need many more teachers to achieve small class sizes, and given Singapore's \"limited talent pool\" (a phrase so often used by the powers that be), why not hire from the global pool? We haven't been shy about hiring FT in almost every sector of the economy.
But I think one reason this won't happen is the fear that these global teachers might bring their liberal thinking and influence our young ones
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Dnls_mum:
:rotflmao: mine also kentang, with kentang thinking and kentang accent. Whenever they go back, they have to learn their Singlish to communicate and then switch back.
So now stuck with kentang kids lor. Maybe also because my parents help us with our kids and they don't speak Mandarin, just English and dialect. :skeptical:
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Why the distraction around the casinos? A point was made about spending more on education and basically I think we want to take a long hard look before we leap down that path.
Some folk are really masters at morphing and distracting a discussion when an uncomfortable point is made. -
It’s easy to speak in grand terms and assume the moral high ground when expounding aspirations about leveling up, and prescribing high minded conceptual ideas. Very nice, I also know how to do.
But how about looking at it holistically and making the trade-offs. Education is not in and of itself, it is part of the society in which it belongs, catering to it and sharing it’s constraints. Is Finland all that it’s cut out to be? I have spoken with someone consulting for the Finnish Employment and economic development office, and there are some real structural issues in the Finnish economy that is going to hurt them in the near and mid term. Will their new fangled education system be a way to solve that or be sustainable in the future? Only time will tell, but let’s not just suddenly make this leap of faith without understanding impact, both upside and downside. -
May I ask among us who want to be construction workers, restaurants waiters, coffee shop assistants, bus drivers, cleaners, etc? So no choice we employ foreign workers and it’s wrong? Just because outside their work hours, they somehow ‘tax’ our public transport system, our amenities when they go about their life?
What is fair? The good schools must become bad schools and the rich must become poor? So we might as well have a giant rotation kind of scheme to rotate everything so everything and everyone is fair.
The bottomline is we cannot ensure equal distribution but equal opportunity. Having said that, if you bother, you would know they are many schemes in place to ‘redistrubute’ wealth to the less privileged. Tax system is one. Utility rebate is another. Just to name a few.
I am from very poor background and now I think I am at least above average class and I didn’t go through any good schools, good uni so I kind of resent it when people say the poor here doesnt stand a chance. -
3Boys:
Okok, let me explain.Why the distraction around the casinos? A point was made about spending more on education and basically I think we want to take a long hard look before we leap down that path.
Some folk are really masters at morphing and distracting a discussion when an uncomfortable point is made.
In 2005, when the government decided to legalize the gambling industry, the higher institutes were asked to start preparing the workforce for the industry. New courses were devised, new buildings and new people brought in. Of course we cannot call the course \"gambling\" course lah, just like we cannot call the casino \"gambling dens\". We then gave them nice names.
So yes, there was money that was sunk into education, but it was always to prepare the workforce according the the government's projection. That's why, our economy will never (touch wood) suffer low employment by DESIGN and through planning. There are pros and cons to this. Pros is that the employment rate is ensured low and all those economic data look good. Cons is that a child is not developed for him to reach his potential, but his contribution to the country. Which again, may not be a con, if you think about it, as long as you have children who are happy earning a big fat salary and chasing the 5 (or however many) C's. But the problem is our youngs are no longer like us, they are exposed to too much western influence, media da-da-da... therefore, we'll watch and see lor...
Get how the casino come in now? Just like how you brought up defense.
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HVR:
Do not confuse FW with FT.May I ask among us who want to be construction workers, restaurants waiters, coffee shop assistants, bus drivers, cleaners, etc? So no choice we employ foreign workers and it's wrong? Just because outside their work hours, they somehow 'tax' our public transport system, our amenities when they go about their life?
The complain is mostly about FTs, PMETs, jobs that Singaporeans WANT but suffers wage suppression and competition due to influx of PMETs.
FW have always been around.. doesn't see much complains in the past.
But recently, there is flooding of FTs.. -
HVR:
:? sorry har... do you have children and do they go for tuition?May I ask among us who want to be construction workers, restaurants waiters, coffee shop assistants, bus drivers, cleaners, etc? So no choice we employ foreign workers and it's wrong? Just because outside their work hours, they somehow 'tax' our public transport system, our amenities when they go about their life?
What is fair? The good schools must become bad schools and the rich must become poor? So we might as well have a giant rotation kind of scheme to rotate everything so everything and everyone is fair.
The bottomline is we cannot ensure equal distribution but equal opportunity. Having said that, if you bother, you would know they are many schemes in place to 'redistrubute' wealth to the less privileged. Tax system is one. Utility rebate is another. Just to name a few.
I am from very poor background and now I think I am at least above average class and I didn't go through any good schools, good uni so I kind of resent it when people say the poor here doesnt stand a chance. -
3Boys:
Of course we should not just take a system and plonk it into ours. Our system has its merits, but the problem is complacency. We should not take lock, stock and barrel from any country, NEVER! However, there are things to learn from others! Woe unto us if we keep insisting we are the best! All I said about Finnish is that they have the best teachers who are authoritative when it comes to teaching the children. Our teaching quality sorely requires an uplift.It's easy to speak in grand terms and assume the moral high ground when expounding aspirations about leveling up, and prescribing high minded conceptual ideas. Very nice, I also know how to do.
But how about looking at it holistically and making the trade-offs. Education is not in and of itself, it is part of the society in which it belongs, catering to it and sharing it's constraints. Is Finland all that it's cut out to be? I have spoken with someone consulting for the Finnish Employment and economic development office, and there are some real structural issues in the Finnish economy that is going to hurt them in the near and mid term. Will their new fangled education system be a way to solve that or be sustainable in the future? Only time will tell, but let's not just suddenly make this leap of faith without understanding impact, both upside and downside.
You don't think we need good teachers and more teachers? :? -
HVR:
Good for you!May I ask among us who want to be construction workers, restaurants waiters, coffee shop assistants, bus drivers, cleaners, etc? So no choice we employ foreign workers and it's wrong? Just because outside their work hours, they somehow 'tax' our public transport system, our amenities when they go about their life?
What is fair? The good schools must become bad schools and the rich must become poor? So we might as well have a giant rotation kind of scheme to rotate everything so everything and everyone is fair.
The bottomline is we cannot ensure equal distribution but equal opportunity. Having said that, if you bother, you would know they are many schemes in place to 'redistrubute' wealth to the less privileged. Tax system is one. Utility rebate is another. Just to name a few.
I am from very poor background and now I think I am at least above average class and I didn't go through any good schools, good uni so I kind of resent it when people say the poor here doesnt stand a chance.
DH and I came from simple backgrounds too. We made it too. :imcool:
We benefitted from the system. My concern now is that unlike our generation, social mobility in Singapore is now among the lowest in the world for developed countries. Giving little rebates here and there is not changing it. I must say then it is lucky we already moved up the social ladder, so my kids are lucky to be starting higher up and with low social mobility, the likelihood is that they have a gd chance of staying up. But I still worry that it'll be a strain for them. But can those of similar backgrounds as us previously, but live in this generation have the same opportunity that we had? I sincerely hope so.
Someone once asked me during the previous GE, you have benefitted from the system. Many are envious of what you have achieved and aspire to be where you are. Why are you still not satisfied? My answer: I am grateful for what I have, that's why I have never thought of leaving this country. I only worry for my kids. I'm not sure if they will survive if things continue as they are. If someone like me worry about the future, I'm not sure why those who have not achieved what I have, not be concern. Perhaps, what they don't know or don't have, don't harm them? Or perhaps they are just more contented with life, but I'm an ungrateful idiot who is never satisfied?
I am not trying to put anyone down, but just airing my own views and concerns. Like I said previously, I was educated and influenced by Brits in my very impressionable JC years so even though I had all my education in Singapore, I do think a little different. My problem, I think.
But again, it is true that it is so easy to talk. Am I noble enough to give up all I have for the greater good? I think not :skeptical:
So do I want GEP to be scrapped? I think not. Do I want the elite schools to do away with alumni priority, I think not. Am I a hypocrite, I think not. i am pragmatic. :rotflmao:
Do I think there is equal opportunity for all in Singapore? I don't think so. At least, not any more now, maybe previously.
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