Is GEP really necessary?

[Otah]

verykiasu2010:

friendship:

is it true, the army personnel looking whether the guy is GEP or not meh?


my friend's son applied scholarship, failed the interview process. EQ is not up to standard.

I thought GEP students are well-rounded, who knows some of them do not possess natural EQ. It is a pity.

GEP students have never been professed to be well rounded. Since when ? Who said so ?

ya lor... it is just a seperate programme cater for the special needs. See, they dun get to prepare well enough for PSLE and this is unfair to them. See, their English and Maths papers is so tough that they have to maintain good result in order to get DSA offer. See, their combine result only base on HCL and this is another unfair to them to use GE result for DSA. Why force the kids thru all these. The high ability pupils who work hard will just do well in their PSLE and still get into the same top schools with same benefits.

[toddles]

Otah:

KSP:

With no objective data, we are discussing as if those selected for GEP are those who attended prep course, or they outnumbered those who did not attend prep course. No reasonable and satisfactory conclusion can be made.

:goodpost:

it would be interesting to see the results if there is a poll like this

-> Child attended GEP prep course and got in GEP
-> Child attended GEP prep course and didn't get in GEP
-> Child didn't attend GEP prep course and got in GEP
-> Child didn't attend GEP prep course and didn't get in GEP

If all kids who attended the prep course got selected into GEP, then yes ,the prep course really works. However, from what I learn they don't promised you that they only tell you 80% went thru the screening test (but not selection test). Those who went thru selection test and got into GEP may just get in even without the prep course. As for screening test, most high ability class pupils will get thru anyway.

:faint: we should not be debating whether GEP prep courses really work or don't work... (as 2paamm mentioned they work because certain selection tests can be drilled for).

the point is that the GEP is not meant to be prepped for. :faint: gaining entry into GEP because you have been drilled for it makes a mockery of the whole programme.

[autumnbronze]

Sun_2010:

toddles:

Like I mentioned earlier, having parents go into a GEP prep class frenzy is not a good enough reason to abolish the GEP.

If the problem is with fake-hot-housed \"GEP\" kids taking up spaces when they are just muggertoads instead of truly special needs gifted, then better selection processes might be it? Like I mentioned earlier, perhaps throw in an interview? Afterall, it's somewhat a scholarship with taxpayers money and all the other scholarships require face to face interviews.

Another suggestion to refine the selection / admission process. Instead of requiring more, require LESS. If we are prepared to be really drastic, and deal the tuition industry a significant overall blow, make GEP admission conditional on having the parents and the child sign a declaration that
they have not undergone ANY FORM OF TUITION since P1. In the old
days, most GEPers had zero tuition anyway.

Like smurf said, if you're gifted, you're gifted, should be in the least need of tuition.

Although I do acknowledge that tuition these days are geared towards coping within the crazy MOE testing system. So for those who are truly gifted whose parents are brave enough to eschew the whole system, just go
the no-tuition route, and qualify when the time comes.

For those kiasu hot-house loving parents, they might also die die want a chance to be GEP elite mamas and papas, so they might risk not having
any tuition to qualify.

And after the declaration if there is any evidence to show that they child had tuition, then like false declaration of address for P1 registration, there
must be severe penalties.

how? like my suggestion or not?

Love your suggestion.
2 birds with one stone - no prepped students in GEP and lower P students not forced into tution.

During the interview just ask the child. Most children cant lie under scrutiny.

Okie, am new to the insights of the GEP programme, but from what I have skimmed through so far .....

I am with Sun_2010 wrt to toddles' suggestions.

It doesn't necessarily have to be an formal interview per se. As mentioned
by Sun_2010, it could be psychologically based in an informal setting.

I also don't really believe that one can be trained THAT easily to answer
psychologically based questions CONSISTENTLY. Not to a young kid at least. From my limited understanding of psychology, many of the questions can tend to be repetitive, but phrased differently. Sooner or later, they will slip up. So I wouldn't bank in my money on such so call 'enrichment' centers.

My 2 cents.

[Zann]

We will then see commerical sch cater for GEP selection interview training. :rotflmao: Parents start to gather what they ask during the interview and get their kids prepared. :rotflmao:


I would suggest a simple change to the procedure, that is dun announce the date of screening and selection test, make it a surprise test for all P3 so that there is no way parents or tuition center can schedule for preparation.

[2ppaamm]

Hm… I think MOE is having a hard time dealing with parents. Always trying to outwit them…

[Nebbermind]

2ppaamm:

Hm... I think MOE is having a hard time dealing with parents. Always trying to outwit them...

So, are there any prep course for DSA?

[jtoh]

Nebbermind:

2ppaamm:

Hm... I think MOE is having a hard time dealing with parents. Always trying to outwit them...

So, are there any prep course for DSA?

Yes there are.

[phtthp]

are there parents here whose child was offered GEP, but reject and stick back to mainstream ? why are some reasons to decline offer, where you think GEP is Not necessary, even though your child is been given the opportunity ?

[Nebbermind]

phtthp:

are there parents here whose child was offered GEP, but reject and stick back to mainstream ? why are some reasons for decline offer ?

I know of 1 who gave up due to logistic (or that was the reason given) and also the kid already in a good non-gep school.

[Nebbermind]

jtoh:

Nebbermind:

[quote=\"2ppaamm\"]Hm... I think MOE is having a hard time dealing with parents. Always trying to outwit them...

So, are there any prep course for DSA?

Yes there are.[/quote]RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!!