GEP Preparatory Program

[CayennePepper]

nansk:

metz:

DSA, as I mentioned, is beneifitting not only GEP kids but also Mainstream bright kids. If DSA is one of her discontentments on GEP, then I'm of the view she is not presenting a fair opinion, since there are mainstream kids who benefitted from DSA.


But if DSA is indeed benefitting only GEP kids regardless of their performance, I am of the view that it should be scrapped or modified.

After reading various opinions on this matter, I side with the view that the non-requirement of GAT for GEPpers is unfair.

As I understand, mainstream students have to submit their P5, P6 results (and, for some schools, P4 results too). Analogous to that is that GEPpers have to maintain an average 80% achievement.

So both groups of students have to demonstrate a consistently high academic achievement. Then why do the secondary schools require the mainstream applicants to sit for the GAT and not the GEP applicants?

Because exams are standardised across all 9 GE centres for p4,5,6.

But mainstream exams in schools are not (except for p6 prelims in SHHK schools).
There is no apple to apple comparison.
We've all seen top school exam papers right? :rotflmao:

[nansk]

CayennePepper:

Because exams are standardised across all 9 GE centres for p4,5,6.

...
There is no apple to apple comparison.
We've all seen top school exam papers right? :rotflmao:

I could reply to that, but since our discussion is off-topic, I'll refrain and let you have the last laugh.

[iFruit]

sunflower:

I have not read Dr Lee Wei Ling’s article and don’t quite understand how this works. Does that mean if student A scores 260 and student B scores 255, both put School X as 1st choice (school X is top school within a Band of schools), A is rejected while B (from a lower socio economic background) is admitted and all in the name of having diversity in school X?

Quoting from her article

\"Currently, posting to secondary schools is based on the aggregate T-score taken to two decimal places! If we could have a system where candidates are divided into bands (for example, between 130 and 140), with those scoring above a certain range (say 250 or 260) corresponding to the top decile of students, there would be no need to differentiate them further.

For the purpose of posting, all students within the same band would stand an equal chance of getting into particular schools. If there were more applicants than places available in those schools, entry might be based on balloting. Such a procedure would have the advantage of spreading out talented students among a larger group of schools than now.

At present, academically strong students are accepted into a limited number of elite schools. They tend to come from middle-class or upper middle-class homes. As a result, they are unaware that many Singaporean students come from poorer homes, have to do housework and may also have to help out at hawker stalls or do other odd jobs to supplement the family income.\"

You can read the full article here. http://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.sg/2012/11/modify-psle-dont-abolish-it.html

Before I'm accused of going off topic, I think the above is what Ms. Lim means by 'bigger pool'.

While what she said may not be the perfect solution ( She doesn't have to offer one.. She doesn't run MOE ), I can see the wisdom and a sense of laissez-faire in it.

[CayennePepper]

nansk:

CayennePepper:

Because exams are standardised across all 9 GE centres for p4,5,6.

...
There is no apple to apple comparison.
We've all seen top school exam papers right? :rotflmao:

I could reply to that, but since our discussion is off-topic, I'll refrain and let you have the last laugh.

Please reply. Why would it be OT since the last couple of posts were about DSA anyway.
Don't understand what you're getting at here about last laugh.
I'm merely saying what I think - why some schools exempt the GAT requirement.

[sunflower]

iFruit:

sunflower:

I have not read Dr Lee Wei Ling’s article and don’t quite understand how this works. Does that mean if student A scores 260 and student B scores 255, both put School X as 1st choice (school X is top school within a Band of schools), A is rejected while B (from a lower socio economic background) is admitted and all in the name of having diversity in school X?

Quoting from her article

\"Currently, posting to secondary schools is based on the aggregate T-score taken to two decimal places! If we could have a system where candidates are divided into bands (for example, between 130 and 140), with those scoring above a certain range (say 250 or 260) corresponding to the top decile of students, there would be no need to differentiate them further.

For the purpose of posting, all students within the same band would stand an equal chance of getting into particular schools. If there were more applicants than places available in those schools, entry might be based on balloting. Such a procedure would have the advantage of spreading out talented students among a larger group of schools than now.

At present, academically strong students are accepted into a limited number of elite schools. They tend to come from middle-class or upper middle-class homes. As a result, they are unaware that many Singaporean students come from poorer homes, have to do housework and may also have to help out at hawker stalls or do other odd jobs to supplement the family income.\"

You can read the full article here. http://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.sg/2012/11/modify-psle-dont-abolish-it.html

Before I'm accused of going off topic, I think the above is what Ms. Lim means by 'bigger pool'.

While what she said may not be the perfect solution ( She doesn't have to offer one.. She doesn't run MOE ), I can see the wisdom and a sense of laissez-faire in it.

Oh, thanks for re-producing part of the article, appreciate it. Wah, P1 balloting stress still not enough, after PSLE stress, still need to depend on balloting luck to get into dream school! STRESS AH….!

[nansk]

Oh dear!

CayennePepper:

Please reply. Why would it be OT since the last couple of posts were about DSA anyway.

Because, since then, the Chief has stepped in to set a firm boundary - discussion of whether GEP/DSA is fair is off-topic - and I am going to respect that boundary.

CayennePepper:

Don't understand what you're getting at here about last laugh.

I was only referring, tongue-in-cheek, to your \"Rolling on the floor\" smiley. Please don't take umbrage where none is intended.

[sunflower]

nansk:

CayennePepper:

Because exams are standardised across all 9 GE centres for p4,5,6.

...
There is no apple to apple comparison.
We've all seen top school exam papers right? :rotflmao:

I could reply to that, but since our discussion is off-topic, I'll refrain and let you have the last laugh.

Please reply. Am interested in your thoughts on this. :please:

[CayennePepper]

nansk:

Oh dear!

CayennePepper:

Please reply. Why would it be OT since the last couple of posts were about DSA anyway.

Because, since then, the Chief has stepped in to set a firm boundary - discussion of whether GEP/DSA is fair is off-topic - and I am going to respect that boundary.

CayennePepper:

Don't understand what you're getting at here about last laugh.

I was only referring, tongue-in-cheek, to your \"Rolling on the floor\" smiley. Please don't take umbrage where none is intended.

I wasn't, but was wondering if you were, somehow.

[iRabbit]

nansk:

Oh dear!

CayennePepper:

Please reply. Why would it be OT since the last couple of posts were about DSA anyway.

Because, since then, the Chief has stepped in to set a firm boundary - discussion of whether GEP/DSA is fair is off-topic - and I am going to respect that boundary.

CayennePepper:

Don't understand what you're getting at here about last laugh.

I was only referring, tongue-in-cheek, to your \"Rolling on the floor\" smiley. Please don't take umbrage where none is intended.

Agree, let's go back to the ranting thread for the unfairness of GEP discussion. It's more happening there.

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=49403&start=260

[Nebbermind]

iFruit:

sunflower:

“With lower entry scores, a bigger pool of students has a chance to gain entry into a top school.”

Hi,

I think what Ms. Lim means by 'bigger pool' is a wider pool of students coming from various cross sections of society.

This is similar to what Dr Lee Wei Ling suggested some time ago where students in a particular band can be posted to a band of school ( I can find a link to it if you need it).

In Ms. Lim's own words, a wider pool reduces the social distance between the haves and have-nots and keeps the meritocracy sustainable, which I think is a fair and logical comment.

With regard to the lowering of entry scores, isn't that the beauty of dsa and affiliation is providing?
With these, the schools actually have a wider band of students, instead of the cohort being too polarised if posting is purely thru S1