GEP Preparatory Program

[Just relax]

Yes GEP teaches the child new things the mainstream is not taught and are pushed to do subjecs at a higher level. GEP does not and will not prepare a child for PSLE. Do not make the mistake of thinking that by being in the GEP the child’s PSLE will be easier. GEP child in fact has to work harder than mainstream as there are many non-PSLE projects and activities so GEP child must know how to balance workload and still have time to study.


There are even some children in GEP who find the GEP easy and are bored! They already read widely and have interests that go beyond the GEP level which is usually set at about 2 years ahead of the level they are in. I know of P3 child in P4 GEP this year answering RGS P6 English prelim in 2012 (when he is 9) and scoring >90% and saying he is bored of GEP English already! And from what I understand he is not even the top in his school in P3 English. A number of his P3 friends who are in P4 GEP this year did better than him in English in the P3 English SA2.

There are also some last year P5 GEP boys who score full marks for GEP Maths paper although the paper is supposed to be tough and scoring >80 is considered excellent! How would such children find mainstream Maths? Boring? Definitely!!

[Nebbermind]

I donch think gep kids are heavily loaded with homework.


If they are always busy, it could be they just want to work harder to stay ahead of the pack, or, their parents push them for the same reason.

Not forgetting, many go for this-and-that enrichment, both academic and non, so their days are very packed.

As for project, most parents whose kids already done with gep will tell you that it's all about time management. A lot of time, the kids are given 2~3 months to complete a project it they chose to do it near the deadline.

[metz]

LindsayL:

GEP really does not prepare a child for PSLE? The answer is probably No.

The fact that some PSLE exam questions are covered in GEP and not main-stream means GEP program prepare GEP students much better than main-stream for PSLE exams.

Since when and where has this been stated as a fact? Could we please have the source of information? Is it from a post made by a forumer whose child sat for PSLE last year? If so, may I know how has it become a 'fact'? And does this 'fact' apply to all PSLE subjects across the board?

It would be most reassuring for GEP parents if that's the case. As I understand, some Geppers are attending mainstream enrichment/tuition centres so as to keep up with their mainstream counterparts.

[vlim]

Huh gep prepares the kids for 'O' and 'A' level better?!!?.... Aiyo really luan luan sian ... :rotflmao: ...

[BeContented]

vlim:

Huh gep prepares the kids for 'O' and 'A' level better?!!?.... Aiyo really luan luan sian ... :rotflmao: ...

xian de guo jiu xian lo......neng xian duo shao jiu xian lo :evil:

[iFruit]

Just relax:

..... Do not make the mistake of thinking that by being in the GEP the child's PSLE will be easier.

... I know of P3 child in P4 GEP this year answering RGS P6 English prelim in 2012 (when he is 9) and scoring >90% and saying he is bored of GEP English already! ....

...There are also some last year P5 GEP boys who score full marks for GEP Maths paper although the paper is supposed to be tough and scoring >80 is considered excellent! ...

What are you implying here? That GEP kids can ace PSLE prelim papers in P4 GEP, but find it difficult to score in PSLE in P6?

I don't think anyone rational begrudges GEP programme. The kids are bright and are our nation's talent and the best resources should be deployed to nurture them.

The question however though is, should we continue to shower these privileges in terms of DSA after PSLE and in JC admissions even at the expense of a bright non-GEP kid who has proved herself to be better than a GEP kid in the only national exam that she is even allowed to compete with GEP kids?

The argumenet is not so much about the GEP kids but about the opportunities denied to non-GEP kids once they don't make it in P3. To that extent, many feel that our education system has become unlevel playing field and is breeding elitism.

[metz]

LindsayL:

I would also welcome your comments regarding some of the discussions here, such as non-GEP students getting 8A1 and yet are denied entry into HCI and yet a GEP student getting 5 A1/1 A2/2 A3 can get entry into HCI. Wow! Is this meritocracy system for entry selection that MOE advocates? Is this evidence that GEP student is more \"intelligent\"? :yikes:

Do you mean an ex-GEP student taking the same exam as the non-GEP stuent was given priority to HCI despite a less stellar results? If that's true, could it be that the ex-GEP student has other talents that HCI recognises?

[GLORYmum]

:slapshead:

[metz]

iFruit:

The question however though is, should we continue to shower these privileges in terms of DSA after PSLE and in JC admissions even at the expense of a bright non-GEP kid who has proved herself to be better than a GEP kid in the only national exam that she is even allowed to compete with GEP kids?

For some time, I also deemed DSA as an unfair advantage for GEP kids. However, my views changed after seeing for myself how some P6 students were posted to their secondary schools last year.

Contrary to what most believed, I think DSA has also become an advantage for the bright mainstream students.

Of the 2 GEPpers - A& B that I know, A DSAed to his dream school. Even without DSA, he would have made it based on his PSLE T-score. B, though was not successful in his DSA applications, managed to score well enough in PSLE to apply to an established IB/IP school. Another boy ,C, from mainstream DSAed into one of the most prestigious boys' schools. However, his result was much less stellar than B. In fact, he scored about 10 pts below the school's COP.

So, it does leave me wondering if DSA is really an advantage for GEP kids ONLY as most believe.

[GLORYmum]

metz:

For some time, I also deemed DSA as an unfair advantage for GEP kids. However, my views changed after seeing for myself how some P6 students were posted to their secondary schools last year.

Contrary to what most believed, I think DSA has also become an advantage for the bright mainstream students.

Of the 2 GEPpers - A& B that I know, A DSAed to his dream school. Even without DSA, he would have made it based on his PSLE T-score. B, though was not successful in his DSA applications, managed to score well enough in PSLE to apply to an established IB/IP school. Another boy ,C, from mainstream DSAed into one of the most prestigious boys' schools. However, his result was much less stellar than B. In fact, he scored about 10 pts below the school's COP.

So, it does leave me wondering if DSA is really an advantage for GEP kids ONLY as most believed.

:celebrate: :goodpost: and I agree.