<![CDATA[...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level]]>Also, why is PSLE more famous than O’ Level

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/10366/why-is-psle-more-famous-than-o-levelRSS for NodeWed, 22 Apr 2026 09:18:47 GMTSun, 25 Apr 2010 10:12:14 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Fri, 14 May 2010 13:03:11 GMT]]>

verykiasu2010:


so if you gets into HCI / RI / RGS / NYGH / DHS ..... you are quite certain to be uni-bound .... work harder and may be gets a scholarship .... and some will make it into admin service .... voila ! u are made for life, my friend !
How come no NJC, RV, SJI ?? A lot of ministers come from these schools too. Except SJI is not IP lah.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/186098https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/186098Fri, 14 May 2010 13:03:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Fri, 14 May 2010 13:01:14 GMT]]>

ksi:
phankao:

[quote=\"3Boys\"]
PSLE score has only some bearing on future life performance..

If PSLE english don't get A*, then even have 1st class honours English Degree, also cannot be MOE English teacher, hor. *haha* Got \"some\" bearing! alot of \"bearing\". 😉

You must be kidding!! :lol: It sounds absurd because I am sure many of the English teachers I know do not have that kind of stellar results at PSLE.[/quote]That's what the principal in my dd's school said at her PSLE results day in year 2006. She was saying that in most cases, PSLE marks don't matter later in life, except ... for english, and only if you want to be english teacher, lah ( i presume this is for secondary/jc and above, bc pri school teachers are not specialised \"english\" teachers, right?).

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/186091https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/186091Fri, 14 May 2010 13:01:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Fri, 14 May 2010 12:31:08 GMT]]>

3Boys:

When was the last year a perm sec got 12 months bonus? Again, very interested to see your source, and happy to stand corrected.
My earlier post was OT lah. But anyway, here's one of my source

http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20090120-115922.html

Teo Chee Hean said, \"For an officer in the MR4 grade, the individual performance bonus quantum can range from 0 to 14 months\".

\"The norm total annual remuneration for the year 2008 for political appointment holders and civil servants whose remuneration is pegged to the MR4 benchmark was $1.92 million. A performance bonus of 9 months was used to compute the 2008 norm salary package (of $1.92 million) for a typical officer on MR4.\"
3Boys:
Plenty of opportunity for those who are gifted in other ways apart from academic super-excellence at PSLE to outshine and outperform those who are. Just look around you.....



Absolutely agree!

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/186034https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/186034Fri, 14 May 2010 12:31:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Fri, 14 May 2010 05:50:34 GMT]]>dimsum, you are talking about superscale in civil service, majority will not make it to superscale. But I agree the superscale are definitely comparable to private sector as pensions still exist.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185731https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185731Fri, 14 May 2010 05:50:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Fri, 14 May 2010 05:04:15 GMT]]>

verykiasu2010:
PSLE is a national placement exam. It ranks your kid's performance against his peers in the same cohort and gets to choose his/her dream schools/top schools


dream /top (sec) schools means IP, through train, in the very established JC which has over the years developed sound and tried processes and skills and curriculum to produce good A level graduates who are university bound, get into choices courses, gets scholarships.....

for those who do not make it to IP sec schools from PSLE, at least hoping for a good, gooder sec school to get good 'O' level result and hopefully get into a good JC (if place still available and not taken up fully by the through train people).

so you see, the competition has shifted from 'O' Level down to PSLE due to the change in the education landscape and system

last time u and i just compete for how many 'O' level A1s to get into top JCs....now it is T-score. Some of course are aiming for t-score of 303 (full scores plus higher MT distinction....)

so if you gets into HCI / RI / RGS / NYGH / DHS ..... you are quite certain to be uni-bound .... work harder and may be gets a scholarship .... and some will make it into admin service .... voila ! u are made for life, my friend !

also, once u are in the top JCs......the doors are open wide for Ivy-league uni, and the same in UK too ..... you are not likely to be in NUS / NTU / SMU. U will be talking about Yale, MIT, Wharton, Harvard, Berkerly, UCLA, Cambridge, Oxford, Insead, LSE, UL, Duke, John Hopkins, Beida, Tsinhua, Fudan, etc

In short, PSLE is the \"New O levels\". PSLE is the only exam where ALL students in same cohort participate in. 50,000 of them each year!

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185684https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185684Fri, 14 May 2010 05:04:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Fri, 14 May 2010 04:28:11 GMT]]>

dimsum:
Yes, the top civil servants earn much more than the range stated by 3boys. And the variable component (in the form of performance bonus) can be very high, as much as 12 mths.

talking about base salary, like for like. And how many are there of those, as opposed to upper-middle managers in MNCs? At the very highest they are akin to CEOs and are long in their careers. When was the last year a perm sec got 12 months bonus? Again, very interested to see your source, and happy to stand corrected.

One of a few sources -->

http://www.salary.sg/2009/all-signs-point-to-major-retrenchments-yet-permanent-secretary-flaunts-wealth/

Here's another one-->

http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2007/yax-726.htm

Most times I read yawningbread, I shake my head, but he has a real interesting commentary on the ministers/perm secs salaries.

Perm sec at MR4 apparently drew ca. $60,000 pm in 2007, before cuts during 2008/9 downturn. Adding bonuses, $800,000 p.a. is not far off at all, unless you have another source and formula. MR4 is not the highest grade, but I believe there are precious few at the very snr perm sec level, maybe someone like Sim Kee Boon before he retired.

This is congruent with a couple of other sources I looked up.

Again, these are my sources only, happy to see any corrections.

Doesn't change my view whatever the minor changes in numbers though. How many ministers and perms secs are there in Singapore? 60-100 tops? Compared with private sector? One needs to have a like for like comparison, what opportunity do you have to get to what point in your career. Is is better within the g-ment service or outside of it? Hard to tell, but if you are gifted, likely you can do either, regardless of your PSLE.

Last, I think we are really missing the point here, its not about who's earning what or where, the point is how to equip our child to succeed in the future. If what we say to our child is, look I want you to ace your PSLE, which will subsequently cause you to become a minister or perm sec, then I think it is counter-productive. Aceing the PSLE alone without the attendant soft skills will not get you very far down that road, or any other.

Actually, I would have a real concern if my potential future perm sec came from that kind of background, one would really question the motivation of that person.

If on the other hand we say, we are going to prepare you for life, of which academic excellence is a cornerstone of high achievement in the future, then maybe we open ourselves to a more rounded approach and are less defensive when MOE threatens our competitive edge by suggesting a tweak in the weightage of our fav subject.

Its a bit like the medicine interviews at NUS. Year after year, quite a number of top scorers get weeded out on account of other personality/motivation factors. Can't imagine the admin service to be less stringent. If children imbibe a mercenary, 'me first' attitude, it'll show itself eventually.

Plenty of opportunity for those who are gifted in other ways apart from academic super-excellence at PSLE to outshine and outperform those who are. Just look around you.....

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185656https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185656Fri, 14 May 2010 04:28:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Fri, 14 May 2010 04:16:48 GMT]]>

mrswongtuition:
Actually, parents are more concerned about which SECONDARY SCHOOL their kids end up in because it 'sort of' determines if their child will do well.
yes. I am one of this kind of parents. and almost all my friends think the same way. we care little if our kids are not in top pri sch. but we CARE A LOT about sec sch....

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185640https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185640Fri, 14 May 2010 04:16:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Fri, 14 May 2010 04:13:20 GMT]]>

dimsum:
Yes, the top civil servants earn much more than the range stated by 3boys. And the variable component (in the form of performance bonus) can be very high, as much as 12 mths.

Is \"scholarship\" a pre-requisite for being a top civil servant ? :?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185636https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185636Fri, 14 May 2010 04:13:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Fri, 14 May 2010 00:58:46 GMT]]>

verykiasu2010:
3Boys:


Around $500,000 to $800,000 p.a. at the very very top only, I believe. Very healthy indeed, but not eye-popping. In comparison, an acquaintance of mine in a upper-middle level management job in an MNC takes home that much, with much lower level of stress and responsibility. Late 30s, bright guy, good grades in school, but not top top scholar type.

So yes, well worth exploring. But by no means the only way of making a good living.

Much more than $800k p.a.

Can google it. No secret one

Yes, the top civil servants earn much more than the range stated by 3boys. And the variable component (in the form of performance bonus) can be very high, as much as 12 mths.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185446https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185446Fri, 14 May 2010 00:58:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 15:18:54 GMT]]>

3Boys:
Around $500,000 to $800,000 p.a. at the very very top only, I believe. Very healthy indeed, but not eye-popping. In comparison, an acquaintance of mine in a upper-middle level management job in an MNC takes home that much, with much lower level of stress and responsibility. Late 30s, bright guy, good grades in school, but not top top scholar type.


So yes, well worth exploring. But by no means the only way of making a good living.
Much more than $800k p.a.

Can google it. No secret one

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185117https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185117Thu, 13 May 2010 15:18:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 14:27:17 GMT]]>

hquek:
3Boys:


Being a top civil servant all its cut out to be? You could be grovelling in front of the microphones like poor Minister Ng yesterday (ok, he technically not a civil servant, but you get the point). My sympathies to him really, he didn't deserve it.

I hear civil servants who are/near the top earn buckets of money...so it could be worth one's while to explore that.

Around $500,000 to $800,000 p.a. at the very very top only, I believe. Very healthy indeed, but not eye-popping. In comparison, an acquaintance of mine in a upper-middle level management job in an MNC takes home that much, with much lower level of stress and responsibility. Late 30s, bright guy, good grades in school, but not top top scholar type.

So yes, well worth exploring. But by no means the only way of making a good living.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185100https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185100Thu, 13 May 2010 14:27:17 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 14:07:26 GMT]]>

phankao:
3Boys:


PSLE score has only some bearing on future life performance..

If PSLE english don't get A*, then even have 1st class honours English Degree, also cannot be MOE English teacher, hor. *haha* Got \"some\" bearing! alot of \"bearing\". 😉

If someone gets 1st class honours in English, but does not get an MOE job on account of PSLE score, the problem is with MOE, not the individual.

P.S. If that were really the situation, probably better off working for someone else, not an organisation that is so narrow minded.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185087https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185087Thu, 13 May 2010 14:07:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 12:18:38 GMT]]>Actually, parents are more concerned about which SECONDARY SCHOOL their kids end up in because it ‘sort of’ determines if their child will do well.


Parents compare secondary schools by the ‘O’ level results they produce. That’s why parents are more anxious about PSLE, because it determines what secondary school their kids will get into.

And being primary school kids, only a rare handful are self motivated enough for parents to be ‘hands off’.

At ‘O’ levels, most of the kids have matured and know the importance of studying. They are more motivated to study on their own, they prefer to revise with their peers outside home, they are at the stage where they want some independence and not ‘meddling parents’ (I’m quoting my student on that).

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185016https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/185016Thu, 13 May 2010 12:18:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 11:21:31 GMT]]>

Donkey Kong:
HyperKiasu:

[quote=\"Donkey Kong\"]
After PSLE, another worry.... BGR. gals attract boys.... :stupid: How to study?

then send them to either girls school or boys school lol.... :lol: :lol:

I was from boys school. But I visited all girls school and made many friends by the end of sec 1. :celebrate: parents don't know. :!:

Remembered one gal from a gal school wrote love letter to me somemore! sec.1 only ... xiao xiao. :celebrate:

Parents all in the dark .... :celebrate: :lol:[/quote]So better watch out for your kids (like father, like son....)

😉 😉 😉

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184997https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184997Thu, 13 May 2010 11:21:31 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 10:13:10 GMT]]>

HyperKiasu:
Donkey Kong:


After PSLE, another worry.... BGR. gals attract boys.... :stupid: How to study?

then send them to either girls school or boys school lol.... :lol: :lol:

I was from boys school. But I visited all girls school and made many friends by the end of sec 1. :celebrate: parents don't know. :!:

Remembered one gal from a gal school wrote love letter to me somemore! sec.1 only ... xiao xiao. :celebrate:

Parents all in the dark .... :celebrate: :lol:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184940https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184940Thu, 13 May 2010 10:13:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 08:48:22 GMT]]>[quote]Now PSLE is the stressful exam, I see most parents taking a relaxed disposition from Sec 1 onwards....funny right when subjects increased by double or more and with more compulsory CCAs......it's just so WEIRD........ [/quote]
Not really so true for me. If not for my younger one (P2), I would have more hands on my elder one (Sec 1). I still guide her geography, eng & chinese newspapers journal. History is 2nd semester. Maths & Chemistry not my cup of tea. No physics. Bio, I try to search internet.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184796https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184796Thu, 13 May 2010 08:48:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 07:46:31 GMT]]>

csc:
HyperKiasu:

[quote=\"Donkey Kong\"]
After PSLE, another worry.... BGR. gals attract boys.... :stupid: How to study?

then send them to either girls school or boys school lol.... :lol: :lol:


Ha..ha...from my observation hor... girls in a girls' school are more interested (or desperate) in the opposite sex than the girls in a mixed school.

Boys generally mature later - so not much of a problem here.[/quote]dun say like tat la...... :nailbite:
if so parents dare not send their dd to girl sch liao.... :oops:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184745https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184745Thu, 13 May 2010 07:46:31 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 07:40:51 GMT]]>

HyperKiasu:
Donkey Kong:


After PSLE, another worry.... BGR. gals attract boys.... :stupid: How to study?

then send them to either girls school or boys school lol.... :lol: :lol:


Ha..ha...from my observation hor... girls in a girls' school are more interested (or desperate) in the opposite sex than the girls in a mixed school.

Boys generally mature later - so not much of a problem here.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184742https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184742Thu, 13 May 2010 07:40:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 07:21:48 GMT]]>

phankao:
3Boys:


PSLE score has only some bearing on future life performance..

If PSLE english don't get A*, then even have 1st class honours English Degree, also cannot be MOE English teacher, hor. *haha* Got \"some\" bearing! alot of \"bearing\". 😉

You must be kidding!! :lol: It sounds absurd because I am sure many of the English teachers I know do not have that kind of stellar results at PSLE.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184735https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184735Thu, 13 May 2010 07:21:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 06:41:16 GMT]]>

3Boys:

PSLE score has only some bearing on future life performance..
If PSLE english don't get A*, then even have 1st class honours English Degree, also cannot be MOE English teacher, hor. *haha* Got \"some\" bearing! alot of \"bearing\". 😉

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184707https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184707Thu, 13 May 2010 06:41:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 05:14:53 GMT]]>

verykiasu2010:

after the kids entered sec school, they also become more mature and know how to study on their own. after some guidance with time management, they go on on their own.....the PSLE has been like a 'baptism by fire' to them....so they are more able to manage stress too

now my older one in sec 3 has tuition only for add math & CL and does homework and project without supervision or nagging
ya, when they are more mature, we can delegate more...
at pri stage, still a bit \"spoon feed\".....

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184606https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184606Thu, 13 May 2010 05:14:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 05:13:08 GMT]]>

Donkey Kong:

After PSLE, another worry.... BGR. gals attract boys.... :stupid: How to study?
then send them to either girls school or boys school lol.... :lol: :lol:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184604https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184604Thu, 13 May 2010 05:13:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Thu, 13 May 2010 04:46:57 GMT]]>

hquek:
ksi:

Now PSLE is the stressful exam, I see most parents taking a relaxed disposition from Sec 1 onwards....funny right when subjects increased by double or more and with more compulsory CCAs......it's just so WEIRD........ :roll:


Could it be because by their teenage years, parents are too busy dealing with teenage angst, or too overawed by the many subjects that they cannot adopt the same stressed disposition?

Last time, PSLE quite senang one.. :love: Not much preparation, just do it. No stress. Play marble, catch spiders. :celebrate:
Where got pple sell XYZ schools exam papers at pasar malam? :?

Think parents too gancheong, tuition tuition, then train pupils like olympic. MOE also kiasu intro IP, IB. everyone all excited. 😢
Now our kids lose their happy childhood. Cousins cannot meet each other except for June+Dec. Oh CNY too. 3 times a year only. 😢
:stupid:

After PSLE, another worry.... BGR. gals attract boys.... :stupid: How to study?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184576https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/184576Thu, 13 May 2010 04:46:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ...why is PSLE more famous than O' Level on Wed, 12 May 2010 09:33:33 GMT]]>

hquek:
ksi:

Now PSLE is the stressful exam, I see most parents taking a relaxed disposition from Sec 1 onwards....funny right when subjects increased by double or more and with more compulsory CCAs......it's just so WEIRD........ :roll:


Could it be because by their teenage years, parents are too busy dealing with teenage angst, or too overawed by the many subjects that they cannot adopt the same stressed disposition?

after the kids entered sec school, they also become more mature and know how to study on their own. after some guidance with time management, they go on on their own.....the PSLE has been like a 'baptism by fire' to them....so they are more able to manage stress too

now my older one in sec 3 has tuition only for add math & CL and does homework and project without supervision or nagging

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/183580https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/183580Wed, 12 May 2010 09:33:33 GMT