GEP Preparatory Program

[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.

[inotks]

hmm… seeing shadow of my fishy friend here…

[iFruit]

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?

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.

right...

And yet, when LindsayL talked about a GEP student getting preference over non-GEP student, you asked

\"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?\"

and I am left to wonder why the same logic of yours can't be applied to the mainstream boy 'C'...


But I agree with you that Academic DSA is unfair ( unless your argument is academic DSA is fair for only GEP and not for mainstreamers)

[metz]

iFruit:

metz:

[quote=\"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?

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.

right...

And yet, when LindsayL talked about a GEP student getting preference over non-GEP student, you asked

\"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?\"

and I am left to wonder why the same logic of yours can't be applied to the mainstream boy 'C'...


But I agree with you that Academic DSA is unfair ( unless your argument is academic DSA is fair for only GEP and not for mainstreamers) [/quote]It's Academic DSA for C. In terms of talents, B has certs for 3 musical instruments while C has 2.

[metz]

iFruit:

metz:

[quote=\"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?

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.

right...

And yet, when LindsayL talked about a GEP student getting preference over non-GEP student, you asked

\"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?\"

and I am left to wonder why the same logic of yours can't be applied to the mainstream boy 'C'...


But I agree with you that Academic DSA is unfair ( unless your argument is academic DSA is fair for only GEP and not for mainstreamers) [/quote]Let me clarify this - I have never thought Academic DSA as unfair. In fact, I think it is a great system for those who have worked hard and performed well consistently over the years, but somehow may underperform during a major exam. Both students A and C are good examples.

[iFruit]

...no one can fault rich parents for using the resources at their disposal to help their offspring stay ahead of the pack.


The danger, of course, is that over time, inequality begets greater inequality. The cycle of advantage becomes structural, as does the cycle of disadvantage. Those who criticise such structures are not attacking meritocracy, they are critiquing the status quo.

They are warning that if left unchecked, certain aspects of Singapore-style competition will lead to an ever more stratified society, which those stuck at the bottom will come to decry as unfair.

But change will not be easy. For starters, the winners of the current system will resist it, and they are armed with wealth and influence.

For another, any change to tilt the balance in favour of weaker and less-advantaged groups risks being seen as anti-competitive, and therefore anti-meritocratic as well.

--Lydia Lim, Straits Times 15/12/12