@olivia_tan Thank you for your kind offer. My child got selected into the program and school posting results will be out next week. In the meantime, we are now having second thoughts on whether to actually go for the program or not, hence seeking advice from existing or veteran GEP parents.

Our primary concerns are workload, peer pressure and potential bullying in an all-boys environment, be it amongst the GEP or mainstream cohort. Especially because he doesn’t seem particularly strong in any area, and nowhere near the ranks of mainstream over-achievers, let alone GEP over-achievers. Till now, we aren’t exactly sure how he got in to be honest.

May I ask -

1. Workload - Has the workload increased or decreased over the last few years? We hear rumours of GEP kids staying up till 11pm or even past midnight just to keep up with workload - is this true?

2. Are there tests every term, starting from the get-go in Primary 4 Term 1?

3. How often do the GEP kids stay back in school for compulsory after-school activities (not excluding CCA)?

4. Child doesn’t particularly like reading and we hear most GEP kids are avid readers. Seeing some of the posts here, it seems there is a long recommended reading list for GEP kids. Do the teachers expect all kids to finish the entire reading list?

Thank you in advance to parents for your wisdom and kind sharing.

@jedamum Thank you for your sharing! He will likely struggle in all subjects, let alone Higher Chinese I think come P5, P6 the teachers will give them the option of dropping Higher Chinese. If all GEP students are required to continue taking Higher Chinese till PSLE, then good luck to him!

As for learning environment, he seems very keen on the learning, but not changing schools. In the briefing, we were told that the kids take an average of 6 months to adjust. Keeping our fingers crossed! Thank you again.

@lee_yl Thank you very much for your kind inputs, really appreciate it! He is not an active reader, let alone an avid reader. Don’t think his Maths is that strong either. His memory is or used to be quite good though.

I guess if he goes, we just have to pray for the best. If most kids have said that it has been a rewarding experience, we just have to trust the system. Thank you again.

@olivia_tan Thank you for your kind offer. My child got selected into the program and school posting results will be out next week. In the meantime, we are now having second thoughts on whether to actually go for the program or not, hence seeking advice from existing or veteran GEP parents.

Our primary concerns are workload, peer pressure and potential bullying in an all-boys environment, be it amongst the GEP or mainstream cohort. Especially because he doesn’t seem particularly strong in any area, and nowhere near the ranks of mainstream over-achievers, let alone GEP over-achievers. Till now, we aren’t exactly sure how he got in to be honest.

May I ask -

1. Workload - Has the workload increased or decreased over the last few years? We hear rumours of GEP kids staying up till 11pm or even past midnight just to keep up with workload - is this true?

2. Are there tests every term, starting from the get-go in Primary 4 Term 1?

3. How often do the GEP kids stay back in school for compulsory after-school activities (not excluding CCA)?

4. Child doesn’t particularly like reading and we hear most GEP kids are avid readers. Seeing some of the posts here, it seems there is a long recommended reading list for GEP kids. Do the teachers expect all kids to finish the entire reading list?

Thank you in advance to parents for your wisdom and kind sharing.