<![CDATA[Changes in S'pore Education System]]>Singapore's education system must move beyond emphasis on results


By Ca-Mie De Souza, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 14 August 2008 1839 hrs


SINGAPORE : Singapore's Education Minister Ng Eng Hen said the country's education system must move beyond academic achievements and offer students more individual attention.

Dr Ng was outlining the future education system at the 4th anniversary Public Lecture at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy on Thursday.

In 1980, only 58 per cent of Primary 1 students completed secondary school. Today, the figure is 98.4 per cent.

In a 2003 international study on mathematics and science, students in Singapore aged between 10 and 14 years old came out tops among 49 countries.

Dr Ng said this was due to the good education policy put in place over the years, including the use of English as the medium of instruction, the bilingual policy, streaming, good teachers, curriculum and pedagogy.

But going forward, there will be greater expectations. Dr Ng noted that parents today are better educated and have more financial resources, so he said there must be more teachers, so students get more individual attention.

The teachers must also have higher qualifications. And to do that, schools must also have more autonomy.

\"We need to re-balance the education system so that we can maintain the academic rigour,... yet at the same time create space and structure... for the school to (achieve) these other aspects and impart values,\" said Dr Ng.

As for graduates of the Institute of Technical Education and Polytechnics, apart from creating a 4th publicly-funded university, the Ministry of Education will explore ways to help them upgrade during their careers.

However, some parents were concerned that schools now may be chasing key performance indicators at the expense of long-term goals.

\"One of the things I hope won't happen is that those ideas, after implementation, will not be lost, because sometimes when it goes down the next level, it may become another set of goals, another set of numbers,\" said Angeline Soo, a mother of two children.

Dr Ng emphasised that while Singapore's first class education system is respected internationally, it can always do better. And that means a delicate balance between continuing with what has worked well and, at the same time, not closing the doors on new innovations. - CNA /ls

**********
1) Offer students more individual attention = further reduce class size to 20?

2) Parents have more financial resources = to send their children to enrichment / tuition so that teachers need not teach? BTW, the so call teach in sch is touch & go.

Or does it mean that to deploy more teachers, sch fees would go up? Last time we don't have $300 per month for IS. Would such fees be implemented at primary level?

3) Teachers to impart value = good move. Now, character development programmes are run by parent volunteers.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/814/changes-in-s-pore-education-systemRSS for NodeMon, 22 Jun 2026 15:05:25 GMTFri, 15 Aug 2008 01:52:22 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Sat, 14 May 2011 16:05:06 GMT]]>

etiks:
Thanks Chenonceau for the reassurance that I am not alone in my fear of taking the unconventional route. I have been reading your many insightful posts and would like to let you know that I really respect you for your generous sharing and helping others along ...

Aiya... I din do much lah.... Just kaypo only. It also makes me feel better that other parents share my feelings.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422335https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422335Sat, 14 May 2011 16:05:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Sat, 14 May 2011 11:38:58 GMT]]>Thanks Chenonceau for the reassurance that I am not alone in my fear of taking the unconventional route. I have been reading your many insightful posts and would like to let you know that I really respect you for your generous sharing and helping others along …

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422161https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422161Sat, 14 May 2011 11:38:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Sat, 14 May 2011 11:38:52 GMT]]>Thanks Chenonceau for the reassurance that I am not alone in my fear of taking the unconventional route. I have been reading your many insightful posts and would like to let you know that I really respect you for your generous sharing and helping others along …

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422160https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422160Sat, 14 May 2011 11:38:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Sat, 14 May 2011 10:47:02 GMT]]>

etiks:
Chenonceau:



Yeah... me too. I am now looking at 2nd tier secondary schools even though DS' teachers say he can make it to the top 4 if he works hard. I need him to get a BALANCED education... not be all brain and no heart.

Hi Chenonceau

My elder DD is doing her PSLE this year and my younger DD is in P5. My sincere hope is for them to be happy and to have balanced priorities in life too. But (really feel guilty to admit this) my own priorities are not so balanced right now. My kids are average students and I frequently hear myself talking about how to better their grades, attending tuition, doing homework, etc, etc. So far, it has really been all work and little play just to keep up with their class. Hope things get better ...

Regards

:hugs: I know. I too am a bit scared to take the unconventional route. Am I doing the right thing to deny them the opportunities they could have had, in order to give them a balanced lifestyle and development. Truthfully, I am quite petrified too.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422135https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422135Sat, 14 May 2011 10:47:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Sat, 14 May 2011 10:37:48 GMT]]>

Chenonceau:


Yeah... me too. I am now looking at 2nd tier secondary schools even though DS' teachers say he can make it to the top 4 if he works hard. I need him to get a BALANCED education... not be all brain and no heart.
Hi Chenonceau

My elder DD is doing her PSLE this year and my younger DD is in P5. My sincere hope is for them to be happy and to have balanced priorities in life too. But (really feel guilty to admit this) my own priorities are not so balanced right now. My kids are average students and I frequently hear myself talking about how to better their grades, attending tuition, doing homework, etc, etc. So far, it has really been all work and little play just to keep up with their class. Hope things get better ...

Regards

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422124https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422124Sat, 14 May 2011 10:37:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Sat, 14 May 2011 10:11:11 GMT]]>

etiks:
Thank you Chenonceau for the very insightful article πŸ™‚


Yes, I definitely agree with you that our education system needs to be reviewed. In the meantime, I will need to do more self-reflection on my own kiasuism ...

Regards
Yeah... me too. I am now looking at 2nd tier secondary schools even though DS' teachers say he can make it to the top 4 if he works hard. I need him to get a BALANCED education... not be all brain and no heart.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422103https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422103Sat, 14 May 2011 10:11:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Sat, 14 May 2011 10:09:19 GMT]]>Thank you Chenonceau for the very insightful article πŸ™‚


Yes, I definitely agree with you that our education system needs to be reviewed. In the meantime, I will need to do more self-reflection on my own kiasuism ...

Regards

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422102https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422102Sat, 14 May 2011 10:09:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Sat, 14 May 2011 09:58:08 GMT]]>

etiks:
Hi


I frequently ask myself whether I am as much to blame, struggling to \"push\" my kids to meet the high standards set by our education system .... It is just that I want to help my kids do well ... but will I end up fuelling the creation of a 'slave' class, just as Chenonceau said ….. that they have to work hours that are illegal under many countries' employment laws?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-jg90JNksE
Thanks for the link!! πŸ˜„ It is impossible to change parents by talking to hundreds of thousands individually. However, once a system component is changed, it will incentivise different behaviors and attitudes from the humans involved, and that includes parents, teachers and kids. The system needs to be reviewed.

The following article appears in Time Magazine and can be found here - http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2062419-1,00.html. It's author is Joshua Levine. It details an alternative educational system that DOES NOT test children to death.

Spring may be just around the corner in this poor part of Helsinki known as the Deep East, but the ground is still mostly snow-covered and the air has a dry, cold bite. In a clearing outside the Kallahti Comprehensive School, a handful of 9-year-olds are sitting back to back, arranging sticks, pinecones, stones and berries into shapes on the frozen ground. The arrangers will then have to describe these shapes using geometric terms so the kids who can't see them can say what they are.

Finland has a number of smart ideas about how to teach kids while letting them be kids. For instance, one teacher ideally stays with a class from first grade through sixth grade. That way the teacher has years to learn the quirks of a particular group and tailor the teaching approach accordingly.

But Finland's sweeping success is largely due to one big, not-so-secret weapon: its teachers. \"It's the quality of the teaching that is driving Finland's results,\" says the OECD's Schleicher. \"The U.S. has an industrial model where teachers are the means for conveying a prefabricated product. In Finland, the teachers are the standard.\"

That's one reason so many Finns want to become teachers, which provides a rich talent pool that Finland filters very selectively. In 2008, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,258 undergrads applied for training to become elementary-school teachers. Only 123, or 9.8%, were accepted into the five-year teaching program. That's typical. There's another thing: in Finland, every teacher is required to have a master's degree. (The Finns call this a master's in kasvatus, which is the same word they use for a mother bringing up her child.) Annual salaries range from about $40,000 to $60,000, and teachers work 190 days a year.

\"It's very expensive to educate all of our teachers in five-year programs, but it helps make our teachers highly respected and appreciated,\" says Jari Lavonen, head of the department of teacher education at the University of Helsinki. Outsiders spot this quickly. \"Their teachers are much better prepared to teach physics than we are, and then the Finns get out of the way. You don't buy a dog and bark for it,\" says Dan MacIsaac, a specialist in physics-teacher education at the State University of New York at Buffalo who visited Finland for two months. \"In the U.S., they treat teachers like pizza delivery boys and then do efficiency studies on how well they deliver the pizza.\"

The Finns haven't always had everything figured out. In the 1960s, Finland had two parallel education systems after primary school; brighter kids went one way, laggards went the other. Reforms began in 1968, scrapping two-tier education in favor of one national system. Things still weren't right. \"In the beginning, we weren't happy at all,\" says Reijo Laukkanen, a counselor at the Finnish National Board of Education.

In the '80s, Finland stopped \"streaming\" pupils to different math and language tracks based on ability. \"People in Finland cannot be divided by how smart they are,\" says Laukkanen. \"It has been very beneficial.\" Next to go, in the '90s, were inspectors who oversaw annual school plans. Schools were so hostile that the inspectors became afraid to make on-site tours.

\"Finland is a society based on equity,\" says Laukkanen. \"Japan and Korea are highly competitive societies β€” if you're not better than your neighbor, your parents pay to send you to night school. In Finland, outperforming your neighbor isn't very important. Everybody is average, but you want that average to be very high.\"

This principle has gone far toward making Finland an educational overachiever. In the 2006 PISA science results, Finland's worst students did 80% better than the OECD average for the worst group; its brightest did only 50% better than the average for bright students. \"Raising the average for the bottom rungs has had a profound effect on the overall result,\" says MacIsaac.

Some of Finland's educational policies could probably be exported, but it's questionable whether the all-for-one-and-one-for-all-ness that underlies them would travel easily. Thailand, for instance, is trying to adapt the Finnish model to its own school system. But as soon as a kid falls behind, parents send for a private tutor β€” something that would be unthinkable in Finland. Is Thailand's Finnish experiment working? \"Not really,\" says Lavonen. Would that it could, in Thailand and elsewhere.

\"It's a different way of conceptualizing math when you do it this way instead of using pen and paper, and it goes straight to the brain,\" says Veli-Matti Harjula, who teaches the same group of children straight through from third to sixth grade. Educators in Sweden, not Finland, came up with the concept of \"outside math,\" but Harjula didn't have to get anybody's approval to borrow it. He can pretty much do whatever he wants, provided that his students meet the very general objectives of the core curriculum set by Finland's National Board of Education. For math, the latest national core curriculum runs just under 10 pages (up from 3Β½ pages for the previous core curriculum).

The Finns are as surprised as much as anyone else that they have recently emerged as the new rock stars of global education. It surprises them because they do as little measuring and testing as they can get away with. They just don't believe it does much good. They did, however, decide to participate in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), run by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). And to put it in a way that would make the noncompetitive Finns cringe, they kicked major butt. The Finns have participated in the global survey four times and have usually placed among the top three finishers in reading, math and science.

In the latest PISA survey, in 2009, Finland placed second in science literacy, third in mathematics and second in reading. The U.S. came in 15th in reading, close to the OECD average, which is where most of the U.S.'s results fell.

Finland's only real rivals are the Asian education powerhouses South Korea and Singapore, whose drill-heavy teaching methods often recall those of the old Soviet-bloc Olympic-medal programs. Indeed, a recent manifesto by Chinese-American mother Amy Chua, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, chides American parents for shrinking from the pitiless discipline she argues is necessary to turn out great students. Her book has led many to wonder whether the cure is worse than the disease.

Which is why delegations from the U.S. and the rest of the world are trooping to Helsinki, where world-class results are achieved to the strains of a reindeer lullaby. \"In Asia, it's about long hours β€” long hours in school, long hours after school. In Finland, the school day is shorter than it is in the U.S. It's a more appealing model,\" says Andreas Schleicher, who directs the PISA program at the OECD.

There's less homework too. \"An hour a day is good enough to be a successful student,\" says Katja Tuori, who is in charge of student counseling at Kallahti Comprehensive, which educates kids up to age 16. \"These kids have a life.\"

There are rules, of course. No iPods or portable phones in class. No hats indoors. (They also tried a no-coat rule, but it was just too cold.) But not much else. Tuori spots a kid texting in class and shoots him a reproachful glance. He quickly puts the phone away. \"You have to do something really bad, like hit somebody, to actually get punished,\" says Tuori.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422094https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422094Sat, 14 May 2011 09:58:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Sat, 14 May 2011 09:47:02 GMT]]>Hi


I frequently ask myself whether I am as much to blame, struggling to \"push\" my kids to meet the high standards set by our education system .... It is just that I want to help my kids do well ... but will I end up fuelling the creation of a 'slave' class, just as Chenonceau said ….. that they have to work hours that are illegal under many countries' employment laws?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-jg90JNksE

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422081https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/422081Sat, 14 May 2011 09:47:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Fri, 13 May 2011 00:40:29 GMT]]>Hi,


For those with deep enough pockets, can also consider the international schs here.

We have 2 neighbours with sons studying in SJI International - both their mummies feedback definitely much better than our local system. Think SJI (I) is doing IB, not "A" levels.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420706https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420706Fri, 13 May 2011 00:40:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Fri, 13 May 2011 00:27:05 GMT]]>

Chenonceau:
I pity him and am considering...


(1) taking him overseas for secondary
(2) a sensible non-branded secondary school (this is a big change for me who had always been intent on a branded secondary school - thanks to my girl's positive experience. I realise that her positive experience may not be my son's positive experience)

... in order to adapt to the system and still maintain a balanced lifestyle.
i like your (1) but just make sure you dont go to taiwan, korea, hk or china (their education system is more :siao: ). πŸ˜‰

going to western countries? we also want a good school at a decent good neighbourhood right? well, good reputable schools are in huge demand by local parents (from sil's experience in toronto and mine in london). i make enquiries about boarding schools and some have long waiting lists and the earliest admission for dd is 2 years later.

ds had a wonderful time when he was in year 1 and 2 in london but from conversations with parents who have older kids in school and teachers as well, from age 8/9 onwards, there is a huge jump in the learning process so some kids are unable to cope. year 1/2 and below are easy fun learning lessons but year 3 onwards, is homework project test just like ours etc.

dd who is much older has plenty of work too but there are lots of term break in between school year for them to have fun. and when it is holdiay, it really means holiday unlike ours whereby the kids have to return to school for practice, project, remedial etc. :mad: especially during the june holiday. best of all, no assessment books or tuition classes to attend. kids who attend tuition (kumon is very popular in london) are usually non white.

but i worry about drug abuse, loose moral (sex etc) at these places.

overall, i am still in favour of a revamp of our education system.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420682https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420682Fri, 13 May 2011 00:27:05 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Thu, 12 May 2011 23:58:06 GMT]]>

zeemimi:
I_belive:

Hi all,

I have my 2 cents here. I think our education system is not so bad. So many CCAs to choose, kids have a lof of fun. As for academic pressure, i think it comes from parents not school teachers nor peers, as my dd never bothers how many marks she gets as long as I do not ask her. So it is kiasuparents that pass the stress to kids and make them stressful. no good marks, so what? not the end of world! A very good minister GY is iost, that is not the end of world for Singapore either!
So calm down everyone, enjoy life with your kids. Does 1 mark or 5 marks or 10 marks really mean that much to you parents?

Our educational system is crazy. :siao: Many kids are drowning. :imdrowning: The system is cramming more and more things down to the primary level. Maths and Science are good examples. Was told by a Science HOD to look through some O level MCQ questions because some of the science PSLE questions are taken from O level books. I remember having to go to Popular to browse through some Biology O level text to help my DD find the answer to her science question. And she is just from mainstream.

But we all learn to adapt cos we have not much of a choice. 😒 Cannot migrate. But the quality of life for our kids is really lousy in Spore. I try to give my kids a life, let them enjoy whatever non-academic activities as much as they like, but i also push them academically. Cos that is what survival is all about.

zeemimi... :snuggles: I know EXACTLY how you feel. On the one hand, survival and thriving depends on education. On the other hand, my DS' childhood is less than half as fun as his sister's (7 years older). I pity him and am considering...

(1) taking him overseas for secondary
(2) a sensible non-branded secondary school (this is a big change for me who had always been intent on a branded secondary school - thanks to my girl's positive experience. I realise that her positive experience may not be my son's positive experience)

... in order to adapt to the system and still maintain a balanced lifestyle.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420656https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420656Thu, 12 May 2011 23:58:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Thu, 12 May 2011 16:06:54 GMT]]>

I_belive:
Hi all,

I have my 2 cents here. I think our education system is not so bad. So many CCAs to choose, kids have a lof of fun. As for academic pressure, i think it comes from parents not school teachers nor peers, as my dd never bothers how many marks she gets as long as I do not ask her. So it is kiasuparents that pass the stress to kids and make them stressful. no good marks, so what? not the end of world! A very good minister GY is iost, that is not the end of world for Singapore either!
So calm down everyone, enjoy life with your kids. Does 1 mark or 5 marks or 10 marks really mean that much to you parents?
Our educational system is crazy. :siao: Many kids are drowning. :imdrowning: The system is cramming more and more things down to the primary level. Maths and Science are good examples. Was told by a Science HOD to look through some O level MCQ questions because some of the science PSLE questions are taken from O level books. I remember having to go to Popular to browse through some Biology O level text to help my DD find the answer to her science question. And she is just from mainstream.

But we all learn to adapt cos we have not much of a choice. 😒 Cannot migrate. But the quality of life for our kids is really lousy in Spore. I try to give my kids a life, let them enjoy whatever non-academic activities as much as they like, but i also push them academically. Cos that is what survival is all about.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420577https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420577Thu, 12 May 2011 16:06:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Thu, 12 May 2011 15:50:53 GMT]]>

QuiteKSMum:
Chenonceau:

[quote=\"janet_lee88\"]The '30 in a class' should stay up till P4 and then reduce to 20 students in a class at P5. It makes a difference.


This is such a good idea!

Yes, I also believe class size makes a difference (even for grp tuition). Think for the GEP classes & even some sch's BICEP, their class size is kept smaller - think in the 20s... correct me if I'm misinformed...[/quote]this has always been my grouse. I would be happy if they had maintained at 30 per class after P2. We are all paying the same school fees at Pri level. Why only small class size for the GEP? Aren't they recruiting more and more teachers? Space constraints?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420568https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420568Thu, 12 May 2011 15:50:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Thu, 12 May 2011 10:49:15 GMT]]>

LOLMum:
I_belive:

Hi all,

I have my 2 cents here. I think our education system is not so bad. So many CCAs to choose, kids have a lof of fun. As for academic pressure, i think it comes from parents not school teachers nor peers, as my dd never bothers how many marks she gets as long as I do not ask her. So it is kiasuparents that pass the stress to kids and make them stressful. no good marks, so what? not the end of world! A very good minister GY is iost, that is not the end of world for Singapore either!
So calm down everyone, enjoy life with your kids. Does 1 mark or 5 marks or 10 marks really mean that much to you parents?

well, it depends on which school the child is attending to determine the source of stress. a few of my friends' kids were from very good/popular primary schools as well as another friend whose daughter is a current teacher at one of these schools. stress do come from school and not parents. but it is like which comes first, egg or chicken situation.

i had the opportunities to talk to some of dd's teachers and ds' teacher tutor and it is usually the principal who is applying alot of pressure on teachers to perform who in turn have no choice but to push the kids harder be it in studies or cca.

yes, it is not the end for singapore now that gy is no longer there but there are other capable people who can fill his shoes. but do you think if you cant find a job, fall sick etc, someone is going to step in to take care of you? maybe the govt in the form of aid but certainly not your friend, your neighbour or even your kins and for how long?

i am sure 1 mark, 5 marks, 10 marks do make a lot of difference to parents whose child is a brderline case cos' it means either the child has to repeat another year of study or promoted to the next level or transfer to another school.

principals are the ones who could make a difference to the education system here in singapore not just the govt.

:goodpost:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420294https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420294Thu, 12 May 2011 10:49:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Thu, 12 May 2011 10:01:04 GMT]]>

I_belive:
Hi all,

I have my 2 cents here. I think our education system is not so bad. So many CCAs to choose, kids have a lof of fun. As for academic pressure, i think it comes from parents not school teachers nor peers, as my dd never bothers how many marks she gets as long as I do not ask her. So it is kiasuparents that pass the stress to kids and make them stressful. no good marks, so what? not the end of world! A very good minister GY is iost, that is not the end of world for Singapore either!
So calm down everyone, enjoy life with your kids. Does 1 mark or 5 marks or 10 marks really mean that much to you parents?
well, it depends on which school the child is attending to determine the source of stress. a few of my friends' kids were from very good/popular primary schools as well as another friend whose daughter is a current teacher at one of these schools. stress do come from school and not parents. but it is like which comes first, egg or chicken situation.

i had the opportunities to talk to some of dd's teachers and ds' teacher tutor and it is usually the principal who is applying alot of pressure on teachers to perform who in turn have no choice but to push the kids harder be it in studies or cca.

yes, it is not the end for singapore now that gy is no longer there but there are other capable people who can fill his shoes. but do you think if you cant find a job, fall sick etc, someone is going to step in to take care of you? maybe the govt in the form of aid but certainly not your friend, your neighbour or even your kins and for how long?

i am sure 1 mark, 5 marks, 10 marks do make a lot of difference to parents whose child is a brderline case cos' it means either the child has to repeat another year of study or promoted to the next level or transfer to another school.

principals are the ones who could make a difference to the education system here in singapore not just the govt.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420265https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/420265Thu, 12 May 2011 10:01:04 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Thu, 12 May 2011 03:10:48 GMT]]>Hi all,

I have my 2 cents here. I think our education system is not so bad. So many CCAs to choose, kids have a lof of fun. As for academic pressure, i think it comes from parents not school teachers nor peers, as my dd never bothers how many marks she gets as long as I do not ask her. So it is kiasuparents that pass the stress to kids and make them stressful. no good marks, so what? not the end of world! A very good minister GY is iost, that is not the end of world for Singapore either!
So calm down everyone, enjoy life with your kids. Does 1 mark or 5 marks or 10 marks really mean that much to you parents?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/419961https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/419961Thu, 12 May 2011 03:10:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Fri, 06 May 2011 00:59:01 GMT]]>

Chenonceau:
janet_lee88:

The '30 in a class' should stay up till P4 and then reduce to 20 students in a class at P5. It makes a difference.


This is such a good idea!

Yes, I also believe class size makes a difference (even for grp tuition). Think for the GEP classes & even some sch's BICEP, their class size is kept smaller - think in the 20s... correct me if I'm misinformed...

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414414https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414414Fri, 06 May 2011 00:59:01 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Fri, 06 May 2011 00:08:33 GMT]]>

janet_lee88:
The '30 in a class' should stay up till P4 and then reduce to 20 students in a class at P5. It makes a difference.

This is such a good idea!

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414371https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414371Fri, 06 May 2011 00:08:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Thu, 05 May 2011 23:59:41 GMT]]>It’s a totally different ball game at P5. Parents like myself are struggling with the higher and more difficult standard. Hubby & I scrambled to get help to coach son Maths this year. School teacher cannot manage a class of 40.


P1/2 have maximum 30 in a class. But from P3 onwards, the classes are crammed with 40 or even 42. That is crazy bcos P3 students have Science and it’s not easy to handle or like this subject.

So what if parents are more educated now, it doesn’t mean that they should be teaching the kids. Is he implying that teachers do not have to teach so much and let the parents do the job as what a parent here mentioned ? Or is he implying that parents are earning more and so can afford enrichment centres/tutors ?

Our kids are assessment book smart bcos they have no choice but to score in school. They can even compare what titles of assessment they have, with their classmates bcos of the pathetic school textbooks.

The β€˜30 in a class’ should stay up till P4 and then reduce to 20 students in a class at P5. It makes a difference.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414364https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414364Thu, 05 May 2011 23:59:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Thu, 05 May 2011 23:51:33 GMT]]>

QuiteKSMum:
Chenonceau:



And it is always wise to focus on the blessings we have than the blessings we don't have.

True, only by counting our blessings then we can stay positive...There's too many \"unblessings\" in this world, if we dwell too much on them, we can never be happy with what we have... :love: :celebrate:

:hi5:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414361https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414361Thu, 05 May 2011 23:51:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Thu, 05 May 2011 23:49:48 GMT]]>

Chenonceau:


And it is always wise to focus on the blessings we have than the blessings we don't have.
True, only by counting our blessings then we can stay positive...There's too many \"unblessings\" in this world, if we dwell too much on them, we can never be happy with what we have... :love: :celebrate:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414360https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414360Thu, 05 May 2011 23:49:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Thu, 05 May 2011 23:38:32 GMT]]>

Faun:

An intelligent mind is one that is always learning but not concluding. My dd English and Social Studies teachers do philosophy lessons with them from time to time. The kids will be posed a real live problem during their
Socratic Circle and they'd naturally be usinig their logical minds to try to solve but at the end they just can't draw a conclusion. They realize that many human emotions and actions are illogical.
Well said again... though I tend to believe that with enough information a conclusion can very often be drawn... but I do very much agree that an inquiring mind is sceptical about conclusions because one never really knows enough to conclude/judge.
Faun:
All said, there's exam where speed and accuracy in answer is so important so practice is necessary. There is a lot of merit in our system but it's not perfect. Let's enjoy and appreciate it goodness and do damage control in whatever way we can. Meantime, :nunchuk: :rant:
Yes... I value the emphasis on speed and accuracy too. My son's teacher had a diplomatic word with me in P3 and I realised then that I had failed to focus there. And it is always wise to focus on the blessings we have than the blessings we don't have.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414357https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414357Thu, 05 May 2011 23:38:32 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Changes in S'pore Education System on Thu, 05 May 2011 18:05:31 GMT]]>about class size. my dd school has 30 for p1 and p2. p3 onwards it is back to 40. Sometime even 42. 😒

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414339https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/414339Thu, 05 May 2011 18:05:31 GMT