DSA Appeal 2011
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I feel sad for those who accepted CO for DSA but changed their minds later and wanted to change to another school but were unsuccessful.
I feel even sadder for those hopeful but unsuccessful students on the waiting list who cannot get into their choice schools, cos the DSA-ed students are unable to vacate the school for their choice school.
My DD has 2 friends who DSA-ed successfully to a certain school and after PSLE results tried to appeal to their choice school (DSA-ed previously but failed to get in) but are unsuccessful even with good scores.
Her friends told her that they will be stucked in that school for the next 6 years. Really sad… especially when there are other hopefuls for that school… -
carebear:
This is a reflection of real life....decision made and can't turn back...just have to make good with the decision and move on....I feel sad for those who accepted CO for DSA but changed their minds later and wanted to change to another school but were unsuccessful.
I feel even sadder for those hopeful but unsuccessful students on the waiting list who cannot get into their choice schools, cos the DSA-ed students are unable to vacate the school for their choice school.
My DD has 2 friends who DSA-ed successfully to a certain school and after PSLE results tried to appeal to their choice school (DSA-ed previously but failed to get in) but are unsuccessful even with good scores.
Her friends told her that they will be stucked in that school for the next 6 years. Really sad..... especially when there are other hopefuls for that school....... -
Rich dad poor dad:
Yup it's true.....but pity the kids.....decision making is becoming earlier and earlier in life.
This is a reflection of real life....decision made and can't turn back...just have to make good with the decision and move on....carebear:
I feel sad for those who accepted CO for DSA but changed their minds later and wanted to change to another school but were unsuccessful.
I feel even sadder for those hopeful but unsuccessful students on the waiting list who cannot get into their choice schools, cos the DSA-ed students are unable to vacate the school for their choice school.
My DD has 2 friends who DSA-ed successfully to a certain school and after PSLE results tried to appeal to their choice school (DSA-ed previously but failed to get in) but are unsuccessful even with good scores.
Her friends told her that they will be stucked in that school for the next 6 years. Really sad..... especially when there are other hopefuls for that school.......
Luckily my DD did not follow her friends footsteps and DSA to this particular school, cos I told her if she is not keen on that school then better not, and that it was better to concentrate on studying for the PSLE to get to the school of her choice.
But sad....cos these 2 are her good friends, and they have so much in common. -
ycpang:
In China, they have this practice of branded schools setting up branch schools. For example, \"Rx\" Jurong Branch, \"Rx\" Tampines etc...looking4Tutor:
I think MOE must let the child and parent to make the final decision as which school they like regardless of their psle result cos at the end of the day it is the child that do the studies not MOE. MOE job is to build more classrooms for popular schools and tear down unpopular schools.
No need so troublesome lar. Just change all the schools' names to \"Rxxxxxx\" can liao.... -
WeiHan:
In China, they have this practice of branded schools setting up branch schools. For example, \"Rx\" Jurong Branch, \"Rx\" Tampines etc...[/quote]If branded school had too many branch....what's the point? ...no more exclusive....ycpang:
[quote=\"looking4Tutor\"]I think MOE must let the child and parent to make the final decision as which school they like regardless of their psle result cos at the end of the day it is the child that do the studies not MOE. MOE job is to build more classrooms for popular schools and tear down unpopular schools.
No need so troublesome lar. Just change all the schools' names to \"Rxxxxxx\" can liao.... -
joe0599:
This pathetically accepted students might have missed a place in DSA because of parents accepting any DSA that comes along for backup and I am glad they dont miss it again this time for the same group of people.LongPimple:
I agree with you wholeheartedly. We cannot be deprived of DSA re-Appeal just like that. I am speaking for the parents who wish their child the best of education, the needs of the many. We ( parents and child ) have spent years of effort, money, love to groom our child. All this cannot be measured, yet we are turned down by a simple “no Appeal for DSA students”. Deep in our heart, we know your child who did well in PSLE, qualifies for his first choice school ( which literally a “dream” school now), simply have to accept the 2nd choice. What parents are we if we are not fighting for them ?
I heard NYGS short of appeals of potential DSA students and have to pathetically accept Appeals from those less than COP and I even heard some schools charged $20 from DSA student knowing that they are not going to be successful. What is this!
Should acceptance of DSA be done after the PSLE result ? MOE should lift this restriction now! ( not next batch onwards ). I will be writing to them.
:goodpost: joe0599
Well said....I hope those exercised CO realised this.
I don't think it's right to say the school has to 'pathetically accept appeals from those less than COP' as if these students deserve lesser. -
It seemed like majority of the posts felt that the MOE has done nothing wrong in closing up the DSA loophole completely and suddenly. Majority felt that the parents seeking DSA appeal are selfish and have no reasons to complain as they have accepted the CO in the first place.
However, I really sympathise and empathise with parents fighting for their dd/ds DSA appeal this year. Maybe it was because I had been through DSA with my ds last yr. Although my ds has CO from his first choice and hence it was easy to make the decision, I can fully understand the dilemma that the parents are facing.
The first choice is nearer to your home and the child prefers the first choice because he sees the second choice as a more chinese school. But the child only got the CO from the second choice. So what can parents do? Yes, since PSLE has been here for so long, parents can always check with the seniors and their parents who have been through DSA. The feedback given was DSA appeal would usually be successful if the child have a high t-score. So being a kiasi and kiasu parent, the parent decides to gamble, to accept the CO and advises the child to work hard for a good t-score. Now the child had done well but MOE has decided suddenly to stop all DSA transfer this year. How would you/the child feel? How can you say the MOE has made no mistake when it did not communicate the change to the parents and students clearly and effectively. If the child knew that there will be NO DSA transfer this year, he may reject the CO.
It was wrong for parents to be kiasu and not to honour the CO, but MOE can definitely do better than this. Teachers can inform the parents about the new rule during the PTM in P6 or the principals of the respective sec sch can announce of the new rule during the open house when the parents are around with the child. Or the new policy can be printed clearly on the DSA form indicating the change in this year. There are many things that the schools or MOE can do, but they did a lousy job and now the parents and kids have to face the consequence.
I have another ds going through PSLE in a few years time. I do not know whether the feedback given by the seniors and their parents are relevant. I am worried that the MOE may change certain policy suddenly instead of gradually and worst still without good communication to the parents and students. -
carebear:
Her friends told her that they will be stucked in that school for the next 6 years. Really sad..... especially when there are other hopefuls for that school.......
True, all parents want the best for their child. What I don't get is this feeling of entitlement that they deserve a place in the dream school simply because their T-score is above the COP. If they had opted for S1 posting, then they would have got in but the fact of the matter is they did not. All appeal cases are subject to approval. There is no guarantee they can get in. And the suggestion to wait for PSLE results to be out before accepting a CO defeats the whole purpose of having DSA in the first place.
Does MOE have a responsibility to make sure everyone gets to their dream school? Places in the top schools are limited. What MOE can do is provide a system that's as fair as possible for people to compete for the places.
Parents/students who accepted the CO from a second choice school basically had no confidence of being able to get in to the second choice school on the strength of their PSLE score. If they want to compete on equal footing with the rest of the cohort, then don't DSA. Even if they can't get into their dream school, they may still be able to qualify for the second choice school with their PSLE score without DSA. If they want to play safe and accept the CO, then not being able to go to their dream school (should their T-score be better than expected) is the trade-off they have to accept.
Last but not least, not getting to the dream school is hardly the end of the world. If the second choice school is such a hardship, why waste the second choice school's time by applying for DSA? The second choice school is still one of the top schools and can provide an equally good if not better education. Who's to say that the student will definitely do better in the dream school? I know people who went to RI but were not happy there. The grass will always seem greener on the other side. -
I agree with you PiggyLalala.
Previously the rule was bent, but now it is firm and unyielding.
So yes, before CO was being accepted, there should have been a re-emphasis that this year, the rule is to be strictly implemented. -
carebear:
Can't speak for other schools, but DD's primary school did communicate to the students that there would be no appeal for DSA COs.I agree with you PiggyLalala.
Previously the rule was bent, but now it is firm and unyielding.
So yes, before CO was being accepted, there should have been a re-emphasis that this year, the rule is to be strictly implemented.
And DD's form teacher re-emphasized the ruling before we exercised the CO in October.
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