MOE to stop publishing names of top students?

[schweppes]

Taken from Bertha Henson's blog


Preparing for PSLE results Part 2

In News Reports, Society on November 21, 2012 at 12:34 am
Diary of a wimpy kid (from a top school) Nov 21

Hey, looks like I don’t have to worry about the newspaper people anymore! The ministry isn’t giving out the name-list of top scorers! Phew!

Mom and Dad aren’t too pleased about it though. They think the best students deserve some sort of recognition. I mean, they were top scorers too in their days. Dad was even a President’s scholar! They said it was nice to be in the spotlight. Also they could thank the people who helped them study. Dad even gave out a whole list of study tips to the newspapers! Mom said the newspaper published a photograph of her and her form teacher and Mrs Tan was so happy she had the article and picture framed and put up in the teachers’ lounge.

I wonder if my principal will announce the names of top scorers at least at some school assembly. Last year, we all went wooooah when the names of scorers were announced. So proud of our school! Almost as good when they announced that we won rugby, table-tennis and ballet! You know, if the newspaper people find me (I think Grandma is going to call them…news tip you know..) I will ask to be photographed with Mom, Dad, Grandma, my form teacher, my five private tutors, Maria, Lucia, Ah Tiong and Ali…But I don’t think it’s going to happen because I am reading about principals and teachers saying it’s a good thing. I suppose they don’t want to go against ministry policy and some code of conduct for teachers they have. Maybe they are not even allowed to pin up the names on the school notice board…

Sigh.

You know, even if I don’t get my name in the newspaper, maybe I will get an LKY award – then they HAVE to publish my name. Can’t offend the former Prime Minister right? I mean, is the ministry going to say: We have two winners for the LKY award but because we don’t want to emphasise academic results, we are not naming them.

You know, studying is what I am good at, but I think I had better take up some sport and be sportsman and win at some national schools championship. That’s clearly brawn. Like PSLE is clearly brain. Nobody minds schools and students that top the sports table. I better work on my golf handicap..

I think secondary school will be quite “relaxed’’ now. Everybody’s talking about a more relaxed school system. Maybe Mom and Dad will relax too…At least I don’t have to study for O levels, just A levels. In any case, no more secondary school O level ranking – not that my new school was a part of it. That O level ranking was actually meaningless for some years because so many top schools not even on it after the IP schools started! I can imagine how the IP schools sniffed at the old school ranking…Hah. What’s the big deal? It doesn’t really measure excellence…

Anyway, I’m glad I don’t even have to worry about taking part in this Singapore Youth Festival. No point. No award. Yay! I play the piano, the violin and the er hu quite well, you know. Now, I can just play for fun. Unless the principal forces me to join the SYF because the school wants to get picked for the Singapore Arts Festival. Must ask piano, violin and er hu tutors what to do then….

Dear diary, I am secretly hoping that I will be this year’s top student. But if I am, I might have to keep it a secret. Everybody else will ask me though. What should I tell them? I think I’ll just say I’m stupid.


http://berthahenson.wordpress.com/2012/11/21/preparing-for-psle-results-part-2/

[schweppes]

Part 3 taken from Bertha Henson's blog.


Preparing for PSLE results Part 3

In News Reports, Society on November 23, 2012 at 2:11 am
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (from a top school) Nov 23

Dear diary, I want to make an announcement. The top PSLE student is Wee Im Pee. Me! Me! Do you hear that? I can’t believe those newspaper people didn’t get their facts right. The top score isn’t 285. It’s 285.5. And that’s ME!

We were all very upset that my principal didn’t want to make any announcement yesterday. He locked me in the toilet and kept Mom and Dad in his office when the newspaper people came to the school. Grandma ran to talk to one reporter but she tripped. So now she’s in A&E. The newspaper people took a lot of pictures of her. She tried to tell them why she was there but none of them understood Hokkien.

So I had to sit on the toilet bowl for hours, reading and re-reading my PSLE results. I’m just glad that I beat Tee Yi and Chong Ming. These Chinese students study so hard that Dad was actually going to stop me from using my iPad. He thought I was playing online games! I was actually taking a Stanford University online course. You know, those free ones. He saw, then said, Ok, good boy.

So here is another announcement: The top PSLE student is… SINGAPOREAN! Yay!

Anyway, I looked at all the newspapers today and there’s no picture of me….Looks like most principals are scared of MOE. Except that Yishun principal in The New Paper. But the school’s top scorer only had 275 points! Okay, he’s also the head prefect and has some Eagle award. I suppose that’s part of this holistic and wholesome achievement that the G wants publicised.

But it’s not fair! I wanted to join the prefectorial board but my five private tutors said not to waste time. Also, a prefect has to “catch’’ bad boys and Mom and Dad didn’t think I should be involved with “bad elements’’. So I only became a class monitor.

You know, diary, there was this boy who said in The Straits Times that he wants to go to RI but was worried because it’s a school for “rich kids’’. Really? I never thought so. I mean, I would fit right in and my Dad only owns a Merc and a Ferrari.

My advice: Come on! Don’t be a wimp! Just go to RI! So many kids there with Very Important Parents. Very good to know them! Good for your future, so Dad says. Never mind if you take public transport to school, try to make friends with someone who gets driven to school. Oh, I forgot. Maybe you live in HDB. Not near anyone who has a car and driver…Anyway, I’m sure you will make plenty of friends. They will want to know what living in a HDB flat is like and whether public transport is really so bad. They will see it as broadening their “educational horizons’’.

Anyway, I’m just jealous that you got into the newspapers and I didn’t. Even Grandma didn’t get her picture in.

http://berthahenson.wordpress.com/2012/11/23/preparing-for-psle-results-part-3/

[concern2]

Thanks for sharing, schweppes, had a good laugh!

[concern2]

Lilac66:

jtoh:

Singaporeans are so obedient. Yes, the slippery slope down to the land of mediocrity.

Haha my sentiments too...

I don't get it. To me, such obedience can only be 2 extremes - too much reliance on books and taking orders, and ignorance.

[octoberbaby]

Reporters are obedient too. what happened if they publish? court case?

[concern2]

octoberbaby:

Reporters are obedient too. what happened if they publish? court case?

There is a word called \"Professionalism\".

[schweppes]

Hmm... publish or punish :scratchhead: :siam:


:censored:

[concern2]

concern2:

octoberbaby:

Reporters are obedient too. what happened if they publish? court case?

There is a word called \"Professionalism\".

Sorry, that seems to come out wrong...

You work for a company, you follow their rules, right? Too bad rules in Singapore are different, newspapers company rules not set by the company... Or it is set by the company that is not set by the company.... Oooops... did I get it wrong again? :siam:

[3Boys]

Funz:

octoberbaby:

think there are 3 top scorers? could be one of them is not SG kid

Why this obsession whether the top scorer is a singaporean or not? Do they sit for different papers, are they subjected to different scoring systems?

How about New Singaporeans vs Old Singaporeans vs Ancient Singaporeans....

[concern2]

schweppes:

Hmm... publish or punish :scratchhead: :siam:


:censored: