DSA 2024
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“MOE will thoroughly investigate any allegations of unfair practices in the direct school admission (DSA) exercise”
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/direct-school-admission-moe-investigate-any-allegations-unfair-practices-dsa-4105961?cid=internal_sharetool_iphone_07022024_cna -
zac's mum\" post_id=\"2128603\" time=\"1707285574\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2128603 time=1707285574 user_id=53606]
DSA was never meant to be fair. How many families can afford to spend money/time for their children to learn fencing, golf, canoeing during primary school? And these are all DSA talent areas for top secondary schools
“MOE will thoroughly investigate any allegations of unfair practices in the direct school admission (DSA) exercise”
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/direct-school-admission-moe-investigate-any-allegations-unfair-practices-dsa-4105961?cid=internal_sharetool_iphone_07022024_cna[/quote] -
koudayao27\" post_id=\"2128611\" time=\"1707293985\" user_id=\"199369:
Well, good point, but I think they are talking about fairness amongst those that qualifies for the different roles.
DSA was never meant to be fair. How many families can afford to spend money/time for their children to learn fencing, golf, canoeing during primary school? And these are all DSA talent areas for top secondary schools -
koudayao27\" post_id=\"2128611\" time=\"1707293985\" user_id=\"199369:
These are the DSA statistics, group by most popular DSA: no. of schools offering it and also group by types of streams: IP , mainstream or specialise schools.
DSA was never meant to be fair. How many families can afford to spend money/time for their children to learn fencing, golf, canoeing during primary school? And these are all DSA talent areas for top secondary schools
You can see among the most popular DSA domains, many are offered by sizable number of “top” IP schools. These DSA domains talents are our non “atas” cca. And primary school students can be exposed to them easily. Not true top schools are only associated with atas domains
https://postimg.cc/fJ94LxFK -
bbbay\" post_id=\"2128616\" time=\"1707297988\" user_id=\"175278:
I don't deny that most DSA domains are accessible to ordinary people, such as math Olympiad, drawing, bilingual... That's why these popular domains are so competitive now. Every year, there are thousands of applicants for the math DSA at RI/HCI, competing for just a few dozen spots.
These are the DSA statistics, group by most popular DSA: no. of schools offering it and also group by types of streams: IP , mainstream or specialise schools.
You can see among the most popular DSA domains, many are offered by sizable number of “top” IP schools. These DSA domains talents are our non “atas” cca. And primary school students can be exposed to them easily. Not true top schools are only associated with atas domains
https://postimg.cc/fJ94LxFK
However, those “atas” domains are the real backdoors. Even if these domains only admit one or two students, as long as you have money and time, your child can easily DSA into a top school through these \"backdoors\", without having to compete with others. I don't think this is very fair.
Of course, the fairest is always the PSLE. -
koudayao27\" post_id=\"2128657\" time=\"1707355556\" user_id=\"199369:
I disagree with your 2nd para. In the atas domains, it is also extremely competitive, just that for those 1-2 spots there are hundreds instead of thousands of applicants. It is not exactly a “pay to win” type of game, even if u have to pay to train. I’ve seen fencing competitions (the turnout is more shocking than u think); everybody is fighting to be the gold medallist in order to DSA. Backdoor implies that the DSA panel selects even the worst scorer.
I don't deny that most DSA domains are accessible to ordinary people, such as math Olympiad, drawing, bilingual... That's why these popular domains are so competitive now. Every year, there are thousands of applicants for the math DSA at RI/HCI, competing for just a few dozen spots.
However, those “atas” domains are the real backdoors. Even if these domains only admit one or two students, as long as you have money and time, your child can easily DSA into a top school through these \"backdoors\", without having to compete with others. I don't think this is very fair.
Of course, the fairest is always the PSLE.
But the CNA article is about perceived unfairness in the coaches selecting their pet choices, which is non-transparent. Maybe the selection panel should include at least 2 coaches from different private training schools. -
zac's mum\" post_id=\"2128659\" time=\"1707358961\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2128659 time=1707358961 user_id=53606]
Okay, forgive my ignorance. I hadn't heard of any authoritative kids‘ fencing competitions in Singapore before.
I disagree with your 2nd para. In the atas domains, it is also extremely competitive, just that for those 1-2 spots there are hundreds instead of thousands of applicants. It is not exactly a “pay to win” type of game, even if u have to pay to train. I’ve seen fencing competitions (the turnout is more shocking than u think); everybody is fighting to be the gold medallist in order to DSA. Backdoor implies that the DSA panel selects even the worst scorer.
But the CNA article is about perceived unfairness in the coaches selecting their pet choices, which is non-transparent. Maybe the selection panel should include at least 2 coaches from different private training schools.[/quote]
For competitive sports-related DSAs, intentionally selecting a low-scoring student would indeed be unfair and quite conspicuous. It would also be rather stupid to do so in Singapore. I feel that arts and music-related DSAs are easier to manipulate. The more difficult to quantify, the more they rely on subjective judgments of the judges. -
zac's mum\" post_id=\"2128603\" time=\"1707285574\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2128603 time=1707285574 user_id=53606]
This unfairness
“MOE will thoroughly investigate any allegations of unfair practices in the direct school admission (DSA) exercise”
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/direct-school-admission-moe-investigate-any-allegations-unfair-practices-dsa-4105961?cid=internal_sharetool_iphone_07022024_cna[/quote]
apply more to students, who applied under Sports / Performance Arts DSA category.
For Sports coach(es), if you are his (her) pet, then,
the coach will definitely recommend you, put in good strong words for you in front of the DSA Selection interview panel, of that particular DSA Secondary school that u applied for.
But, if you are not the pet of the coach, Sorry. -
Agree with above posts - all have credence. The chosen has both competence and connection/network; but not necessarily best in talent.
This is because the “in the know” parents have already identified which sports coaches are advising and/or connected to the IP schools they are aiming for. If kid is showing some performance, they seek the particular coach out to take their child in as disciple. Even if the coach is already the primary school coach, the parents will pay for EXTRA training lessons, holiday sports training or overseas training camps. Plus the better trained are selected for school/national team etc. The others with much talent just need so much more talent to mayxh up with the resourced competent.
One of my friends even built a pool at home to ensure child can do daily laps - that was useful during Covid lockdowns.
With proper practice and of course, hard work, the kid is coached under the respective coaches who then recommend them to their secondary selection teachers.
A colleague with a kindergarten child once asked a group of us how to get sports DSA and one mother of DSA athlete replied that if you have to ask for a child already in upper primary school sports , then you are not likely to get it. The sport coach the child is under will already have recommended him and the teacher in charge of the IP sports team will have already approached by p4-5 to “sell” the parent and child the benefits of the potential school team they are looking to build.
One caveat parents hv to note on DSA is the child has to commit to the sport throughout. Unless the kid lives breathes it, then it will be cruel to force him/her into this cca for full 6 yrs when the child could have explored and expanded other interests. This includes math/science domains… as the child may then find out that he/she is interested in journalism or debate but have no time left if expected to train and compete only in Math Olympiads. This will also apply to SOTA too as you will have to commit to the art domains- visual , performance etc. Perhaps, parents should check on the commitment requirements/restrictions. Say if a child goes in the DSA school on Math but decides he/she likes Biology better? Or goes in on Badminton but decides they prefer Tennis? Only school I know that uses math/science DSA and then no commitment on the child to do ONLY math or science is NUSHigh. I am sure parents with experience can share more on their respective schools. -
backdoor or "pay to get in" method,
When the child is AL 20 (prelim) and child / parents want to go RI via the above methods,
the parents want to child to die meh?
rubbing shoulders with the better kids only works to a certain extent.
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