All About GEP

[Zeal mummy]

bbcxd\" post_id=\"2042502\" time=\"1634358831\" user_id=\"126734:

Zeal mummy\" post_id=\"2042421\" time=\"1634286538\" user_id=\"58173:[quote=\"Zeal mummy\" post_id=2042421 time=1634286538 user_id=58173]For round 2, Will it be all MCQ? Are there open ended comprehension?

Don't know if MOE has changed the format, but it was all MCQ for the selection test (2nd test) three years ago.[/quote]

Yup not sure if they have changed the format. Sounds like they have.. thanks for the reply nonetheless!

[bbcxd]

Zeal mummy\" post_id=\"2042582\" time=\"1634396747\" user_id=\"58173:[quote=\"Zeal mummy\" post_id=2042582 time=1634396747 user_id=58173]

bbcxd\" post_id=\"2042502\" time=\"1634358831\" user_id=\"126734:

[quote=\"Zeal mummy\" post_id=2042421 time=1634286538 user_id=58173]For round 2, Will it be all MCQ? Are there open ended comprehension?

Don't know if MOE has changed the format, but it was all MCQ for the selection test (2nd test) three years ago.[/quote]

Yup not sure if they have changed the format. Sounds like they have.. thanks for the reply nonetheless![/quote]You are most welcome.
My girl just corrected me Smartiepants88's reply is much more accurate.

[sumitc2608]

Hi All


Not very much active on this forum and seeking help about the paper pattern and number of questions will be asked in EL / EL GA / Maths and Maths GA.

I am not able to conclude with the past discussion so would really appreciate and be grateful if any valuable member can give more insight about that.

Still, more than one month left for the selection exam so can prepare accordingly.

Thanks.

[chunda]

Did anyone read this letter in the straits times and have any thoughts on it?


https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-relook-need-to-hand-gep-results-to-pupils-in-class

I am sure some children were disappointed but I heard that at my sons school some of the kids congratulated the ones who got through to the other round. Perhaps it says more about the kids at that particular school.
As a child I recall people who did well in national competitions got a mention in assembly and it was seen as something to be proud of not something to be secretive about.

[Liew Nga Wing]

chunda\" post_id=\"2042687\" time=\"1634476267\" user_id=\"92879:

Did anyone read this letter in the straits times and have any thoughts on it?

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-relook-need-to-hand-gep-results-to-pupils-in-class

I am sure some children were disappointed but I heard that at my sons school some of the kids congratulated the ones who got through to the other round. Perhaps it says more about the kids at that particular school.
As a child I recall people who did well in national competitions got a mention in assembly and it was seen as something to be proud of not something to be secretive about.

It maybe difficult for all children to have an open mind when they are not the one chosen. Even they are, are their parents also having the same mind to congratulate others in class when their own kids are not chosen.

[skii]

chunda\" post_id=\"2042687\" time=\"1634476267\" user_id=\"92879:

Did anyone read this letter in the straits times and have any thoughts on it?

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-relook-need-to-hand-gep-results-to-pupils-in-class

I am sure some children were disappointed but I heard that at my sons school some of the kids congratulated the ones who got through to the other round. Perhaps it says more about the kids at that particular school.
As a child I recall people who did well in national competitions got a mention in assembly and it was seen as something to be proud of not something to be secretive about.

If someone told me the Dr was on the scene when the letters were issued, I would have believed it. (So much details and even Roald Dahl made a special appearance)

There’s no perfect system and our kids need to know (and learn) that the real world is x10 more harsh.

Writing a letter to ST ? Maybe he was unhappy with Helen and Ivan too.

[Kramerorgeorge]

My child’s teacher distributed the letters exactly how it was described in the forum letter. Kid was aware that it made some kids feel really awful about themselves and I think the school or teacher could have handled it much better.


I get it if the school openly celebrates achievements of children who did well in competitions. It is something worthy of celebration and cheer. The notification for getting through round 1, conversely, doesn’t warrant any ra-ra.

Imagine if you were the parent of a child who didn’t get through despite best efforts. Or the kid him/herself? What’s the point of giving it out this way if it could have been avoided? A little social grace and discretion goes a long way.

[zac's mum]

Not all schools do that. Few years back, my son’s school asked a list of students to proceed to the canteen immediately after assembly, while the rest went to class. There, they were handed the letters away from the prying eyes of their classmates. If they hadn’t talked, none of their classmates would have known why they had to “stay back”.


It’s ok lah. Come year end, when the 2nd round kids get their 2nd letter, nobody will be there to see. They will quietly leave the school for GEP & nobody will remember them in P4 lol.

[Imp75]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2042751\" time=\"1634539275\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2042751 time=1634539275 user_id=53606]
Not all schools do that. Few years back, my son’s school asked a list of students to proceed to the canteen immediately after assembly, while the rest went to class. There, they were handed the letters away from the prying eyes of their classmates. If they hadn’t talked, none of their classmates would have known why they had to “stay back”.

It’s ok lah. Come year end, when the 2nd round kids get their 2nd letter, nobody will be there to see. They will quietly leave the school for GEP & nobody will remember them in P4 lol.[/quote]

Yeah same thing happened to my girls class many years back. The affected pupils were asked to stay behind after assembly and given the letters. Quite many from the top 2 class got the letter to proceed to round 2. After that nobody cares who got into GEP since its just a handful.

[ChiefKiasu]

Seriously, I think we as parents should not read to much into these announcements. Essentially it is just a announcement of a group of people who "passed" certain criteria. I’m not sure if we should even use the word "passed".


The unfortunate thing is, the way the whole GEP is run (mechanically, every year), sets the expectation that all those that go through the tests as "gifted". That a certain proportion of the student population is "gifted", every single year. That is simply, hogwash. We have had the GEP for like 37 odd years. Going by this thinking, being awashed with "talents", we should be brimming with geniuses and Einsteins by now, since the oldest GEPper is 47 by now.

I will leave it to you to judge if we can identify any Singaporean Einstein now.

I am not trying to put down the program. Rather, I think the program is useful as it gives more exposure to people with higher academic ability, so they won’t be too bored with the tedium of passing Singapore exams. But the name of the program is the biggest sticking point to me. Don’t call the program "gifted", because it derides everyone else as "ungifted".