MP echoes calls for PSLE to be scrapped

[Spock]

All these measures would be useless unless the Confucian view of hierarchy is discarded. Why else would SGreans worship the ministers as their overlords when they are simply there to do a job on your behalf?

 

[Fook Seng]

That's why they turn into barbarians famous only for war dances?

Actually it is barbarians turned into civilised people who put up a show of warriors doing the haka to ignorant visitors who believe they are real barbarians.

 

[Kinana]

Don't say that and be a disgrace to Singapore.

New Zealand has a population of 4.4 million people.

Singapore has a population of 5.18 million people.

New Zealand produced 3 Nobel Prize winners:

New Zealand1.Alan MacDiarmid*, Chemistry, 2000
2.Maurice Wilkins*, Physiology or Medicine, 1962
3.Ernest Rutherford*, Chemistry, 1908

What about Singapore? So much for the educational systems the two countries adopted.

You use only academics to compare two countries? So narrow n simplistic n ended.

 

[Fook Seng]

What I am concerned about is not whether there is PSLE exam or there is not? Or grading or no grading? Streaming or no streaming? Of course those who can stand out in all these tests and exercises will love them, while the rest will not.

I am more concerned about why the ruling party MPs can swing so wildly from one extreme to another in such a short time, reminiscent of the Stop at 2 to the More the Better transition. I am concerned which is actually the better idea. Before or after?

 

[Kinana]

Govt never said they will abolish our beloved pale sir. It's just someone talking cock. What swing?

 

[The_Hypocrite]

worse is have sons that have to serve NS, n i cant believe some couples still insist must have sons to carry on family line,,,these r people w todays education but yesterdays attitude

Pauline Straughan? That twat has a feminist agenda but she has masterfully disguised herself as an academic/sociologist.

More daycare services, more work-life balance and flexi-hours (for women of course) won't work.

The truth is that the population pyramids of all advanced countries are shaped like a tower. In less advanced countries, people are hedging their bets by making more babies because infant mortality rate is high and adults don't live as long due to poor healthcare.

In advanced societies, you no longer need a lot of kids to help out at your farm. There are also other factors: birth control for both sexes, educated women preferring to party/work instead of making babies, more people seeing sex as recreation rather than a rite of procreation etc.

7 billion people. The world is already overpopulated. Just because the PAP govt wants a new generation of taxpayer/wage slaves doesn't mean you should give it to them.

 

[Agoraphobic]

That is a formula for mediocrity

I think Einstein, Beethoven, and Edison were very mediocre kids. As adults they shone.

Cheers!

 

[Agoraphobic]

BTW, correct me if I am wrong, I don't think there are any private schools (primary level) in Singapore. It is either govt school or international schools (need special permission).

Nothing wrong with gov't schools - just scrap the exams.

Cheers!

 

[Agoraphobic]

Without meaningful exams to seggregate the good from the ordinary students, all schools will eventually drop to madrasahs standards.

(((SINGAPORE: Of the six full—time madrasahs, four have met the PSLE benchmark this year set by the Ministry of Education.


For the madrasahs, the benchmark is pegged at the average PSLE aggregate score of Malay pupils who take four standard—level subjects in the six lowest performing national schools)))

So, kids at pre-puberty are judged academically by PSLE results? It is more like segregating who are able to tackle exams than who are capable riding on the seat of their pants. May be the choice of those who do not have a choice, but I won't judge kids at that early age.

Cheers!

 

[jw5]

worse is have sons that have to serve NS, n i cant believe some couples still insist must have sons to carry on family line,,,these r people w todays education but yesterdays attitude

this attitude always makes me want to laugh too...................................

 

[loneshark]

I think Einstein, Beethoven, and Edison were very mediocre kids. As adults they shone.

Cheers!

Thanks for the post. But as you can see, most posts here are destructive one liners, not meant for discussion. It is more encouraging to have people who can look at things with a critical eye. Especially valuable are inputs from folks who experienced both sides (inside and outside Singapore), either as a student or as a parent. However, some of the concepts you introduce here are a bit too abstract for people who are born and bred solely from the Singapore system, which is not well known for opening minds.

YeeJJ wrote a readable piece on this. He has a few workable first steps too.
http://yeejj.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/scrapping-the-psle/

 

[Agoraphobic]

the americans pretty much have no major exams till the SATs and the quality of their average student is pretty appalling.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/1...ional-failures-pose-national-security-threat/

They have enough smart alecs to make it as scientists and engineers in NASA and large corporations where such skills are needed. For their local social skills, ability to present oneself and conduct one's image in a social setting are more important. In any case, why would a professional football player need to ace exams in mathematics and/or literature? Or a rock musician, or a truck driver? Or a cocaine dealer?

Cheers!

 

[Agoraphobic]

there is no gd school, only gd teachers and teaching methods, so gd teachers shld rotate school

PSLE shld be scrapped, so ppl like Kinana with 150 PSLE score have a chance at society

Fully agree. A good teacher is able to motivate. During Sec 1 and 2, our English teacher did away with our school text - Contact (I think that was its title) and got us to read and discuss the Straits Times' editorial page each lesson; although not everyone in class got onto it, it encouraged me to take interest in national policies and their outcomes, and improved my English composition tremendously.

Cheers!

 

[blur sotong]

You use only academics to compare two countries? So narrow n simplistic n ended.

Tell me what is not narrow and simplistic?

 

[erection2015]

the guy with the winking avatar bro

Who are the perennial under-achievers besides ah clinton? :(

 

[erection2015]

yeah BosSam took very few exams....and usually failed those that he sat for.

Hello hawker, not necessary. New Zealand primary school kids do not have examinations. Ask boss Sam if you need any confirmation.

 

[hawker]

So, kids at pre-puberty are judged academically by PSLE results? It is more like segregating who are able to tackle exams than who are capable riding on the seat of their pants. May be the choice of those who do not have a choice, but I won't judge kids at that early age.

Cheers!

Let just say someone I knew very well had a score good enough for SAP school. He mananged to get into one which is a bus ride away and that meant he got to wake up a little earlier (as compared to if he just went to the neighbourhood sec school downstairs).

When among his equivalent peers in the SAP school, he is able to feel motivated and challenged. He is a small fish in a big pond but he rather be that than the big fish in the run of the mill school.

If he went to the sec school downstairs, he probably end up feeling bored, got drag down to his classmates lower standards or pick up smoking. Peer influence and the school culture is important for learning too.

 

[tonychat]

Don't say that and be a disgrace to Singapore.

New Zealand has a population of 4.4 million people.

Singapore has a population of 5.18 million people.

New Zealand produced 3 Nobel Prize winners:

New Zealand1.Alan MacDiarmid*, Chemistry, 2000
2.Maurice Wilkins*, Physiology or Medicine, 1962
3.Ernest Rutherford*, Chemistry, 1908

What about Singapore? So much for the educational systems the two countries adopted.

Totally agreed!!!! The education in sinkie makes a person sounded fucktard. No wonder i love being with my foreign friends.

 

[Sperminator]

PSLE is a very silly classification...

Primary School Leaving Examination... it sound so negative... In fact I really think Kids at 12 or 13 shouldn't be graded at all!

Based on psychologists, there are many kind of personalities, mainly conformist will perform well in PSLE, as they were all trained to take exams, and tests. The non-conformist, would generally do poorly, as they don't spend time learning the tricks of taking exams and tests, but just want to play and have a good time, like what healthy children should do, having a good time, and a happy childhood, rather than being stressed out... Exams after exams... Gosh! I hated Singapore's education system!

There is also such a thing called late bloombers... what if the child is bright, and just do not want to study, due to non-interest, and they get graded in PSLE, and for the rest of their education careers, they are classified as dumb... I don't think is very fair... the education system do not give a choice to the kids for their topic of interest.

If you notice, some of us, are generally more attuned to mathematics, some are more interested in arts, some are more interested in technical, etc... Singapore's education system is grading on Mathematics, Sciences, English, 2nd Languages, etc... don't you think there is a severe restriction?

I fear that Singapore's education system is becoming more like South Korea... the kids in South Korea only have 1 day rest in a year!!!

 

[Fook Seng]

Govt never said they will abolish our beloved pale sir. It's just someone talking cock. What swing?

Sorry. You are right. Not swing. Just herd instinct.