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Sharing this YouTube video on CNA’s interview with our Edu minister on the recent GEP revamp. Other area talk about are examples on what it mean to decide what is best for our children.
I couldn’t post the link here because of some “reputation” point needed. If you are keen, go to YouTube, search with “ gep changes cna”. It’s on a CNA’s podcast
NTU is often underrated. NTU’s niche areas in engineering, material science and technology are not glamorous domains to the general public. And NTU is relatively young actually. In his current form, it only started in 1991. it has 2 impressive engineering/research undergraduate programs: Renaissance Engineering program and CN Yang scholar program. Both programs prepare students for breakthrough/innovation engineering/science research works. These 2 programs take in around 100 students yearly. Less than the number of medical students.
@zac-s-mum said in Me Time!:
@bbbay thank u! I found the video very interesting to watch. I didnt know the childhood background of 孔子. The speaker used it to illustrate “只要你用对方法， 历史是无穷知会的宝库。。。我始终深信：教育的目的，是让人做知识的主人，不是让人做知识的奴仆。”
My DS was just telling me last night: “Did u know Plato said ‘Only the dead have seen the end of war?’ The great philosophers were highly interested in history, not just for the facts, but for the bigger philosophical observations that can be applied to life.”
I had never been interested in History, but now my own child is teaching me interesting things about it, and how they are linked to philosophy, even literature (song lyrics as well - Sabaton is a fav band) and also political ideology.
Sharing with your DS this old movie adapted from Tom Clancy’s political thriller novel. For his entertainment. About a historian adviser to US president. How this historian help adverted a world war with his interest in studying USSR’s president’s life history. This movie site pushes alots of advert to you. It’s free movie I suppose it’s ok.
These are 2 secondary schools shortlisting webpages that help in selecting secondary schools for the coming S1 posting exercise.
View these webpages on computer. May not display in full when viewed on mobile devices
Shorting listing of Sec. Sch. with historical cut off point, location, any JC affiliation, single gender or not, and more:
https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/sg.parent/viz/SingaporeSecondarySchoolSearch/Search
Listing of secondary schools with 2021-2023 cut off point:
https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/sg.parent/viz/SingaporeSecondarySchoolHistoricalCutOffPoint/Search
From that few scenarios and observations, H1 is like MT, hardly use in RP scoring. If it does, the difference it makes will be small.
Let’s hope JC will not restrict the contrasting subjects students can choose from. After all H1 is an interest subject and good to give more options to explore and decide
I came across this TedX talk on YouTube video before on how language can shape one’s thinking. English is a language that has lots of “me” “I”. Typical English sentence would be “the vase is broken by Tom”. In Spanish, it would be “the vase is broken” - the actor is general not part of the sentence structure. Studying different languages opens up more ways of thinking. It offers the types of effect that interdisciplinary studies can bring upon.
edwardtay79\" post_id=\"2134949\" time=\"1718067816\" user_id=\"134682:Educators make decisions on scale for corhort size. It’s reasonable for them to base on statistics to guide their decisions. If a child is struggling with 普华 and/or other subjects during primary school, it is reasonable for school to recommend dropping 高华, to focus energy on 普华/ core subjects instead. It is like cannot handle 10 chapters, better focus energy on only 8 chapters. But I don’t think the door to 高华is closed in Sec. School for those not given the chance to attempt it during PSLE. If can demonstrate the ability to handle 高华 later in Sec. School, I am sure Sec. School will be willing to consider that, just like in your case?
Hi Zac's Mum,
Good day to you.
Long time since I last drop by in here. For the benefit of all parents who thought that as long as do not go SAP school and that Higher Chinese has no other tangible benefits, let me share this:
(i) Students who take Higher Chinese at O-Level will get another 2 points deducted on overall L1R5;
(ii) In addition, students who took Higher Chinese can choose not to continue with their mother tongue at A Level examination and just focused on their other subjects.
Saying that, the above tangible benefits is besides the point albeit I know of parents who forced their kids to take higher chinese to try to obtain these benefits at O Level and A level and engaged chinese tutors outside to \"train\" their kids to do well in chinese. The essence is this, for kids who are talented/apt in their Higher Chinese, this does not necessary mean they will do extremely well in one major exam grading. Just like kids who scored AL1 or AL 2 for normal Chinese does not mean necessarily mean they are apt in Advanced/Higher Chinese. It is unfair to just condemn a kid who is passionate in Higher Chinese to a death sentence at Primary 6.
My kid went on to Secondary 1 without being eligible to do Higher Chinese as he did not take Higher Chinese during PSLE due to our dear principal's adamant stand in Xin Min Primary School. It is only through appeal and final Secondary 1 examination results that his Secondary Chinese HOD offered him Higher Chinese at end of Secondary 1. He has missed 1 whole year of opportunity to learn more during his Secondary 1. Nevertheless, his Higher Chinese WA1 and WA2 in Secondary 2 is currently ranked among the top 3 in his class per his form teacher.
Summarising, I thought that the attitude and principles of Xin Min Primary School in terms of education is extremely disappointing. If you folks still insist that grades is everything to determine a kid's future direction and passion, then I got nothing to say. On hind sight, I regretted not digging in and challenging the Principal against her personal stand and stubborn viewpoints.
I take the liberty to work out another scenario when H1 score much better than all other subjects.
3H2 + GP, H1 (contrasting subject, optional in RP calculation)
Scenario 5
DDDD, A
exclude optional H1: 12.5+12.5+12.5+6.25 = 43.75
Include optional H1: ((12.5+12.5+12.5+6.25+10)/80)*70 = 47.0313
Include option H1 does improve RP by 3.28
I wrote to one of the lower tier JC yesterday morning. This was my query:
Hi
I have a query appreciate your advice please.
If a child L1R4 subjects for the 2028 JAE to XXJC, are
L1 English
R1 Humanities
R2 E Math
R3 Pure Science A
R4 Pure Science B
Does the child qualified to study science stream in XXJC? Considering the child does not take A math
Another scenario
L1 English
R1 Humanities
R2 E Math
R3 Pure Science Chemistry
R4 A math
Does the child qualified to study science stream in XXJC considering the child does not take pure Physics
And the JC’s reply:
Thank you for your email. We would like to update you that due to the recent policy change, all schools are still working out the guidelines.
Once the guidelines have been in place, we will update our college website to be ready for the 2028 intake.
I did not study in local universities and all my children have just reached the age for tertiary education so it’s the first time I get to visit local U.
NUS is like a university inside a garden to me. Cosy. The colleges/residential buildings blend in with the lush trees. The student guide to me NUS has a particle accelerator.
SMU futuristic buildings designs.
NTU has the country side vibe.
My personal impression of NUS now is academically/research for Science more rigorous. NTU is more towards hands on engineering and SMU is geared towards real world business application and presentation.
@lakshmiSG563 I have been practicing Vispassana meditation for number of years. You may google
to find out more.
@zac-s-mum said in SIT vs SUSS:
@bbbay OP is asking about SUSS though…the one at Clementi Road which will move to a newly built Rochor campus in several years’ time. Not SUTD at Upper Changi.
Oh, my bad.
Since OP’s child is looking at CS/IT courses, I would think SIT can provide better supports. They would have better CS/IT resources since it is a technology institution.
Don’t know SUSS offers CS course too
My impression of SIT is, it is an applied university. SUTD niche is tech design focus. SUTD is jointly set up by spore and US’ MIT. I would say every thing else being equal, SUTD gives it graduates a niche.
an online DSA shortlisting tool available here:
https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/109986/singapore-secondary-school-short-listing-for-dsa
This is an online workbook to help you shortlist secondary schools for DSA. You may shortlist secondary schools by DSA, location and more:
https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/sg.parent/viz/SingaporeSecondarySchoolSearchDSA/Search
Please view these workbooks from a computer and not mobile device (may not not display in full).
Will work towards updating them yearly.
latest DSA information have been updated for 2025
Maybe because it is a new environment to your child and he is still getting use to it. And maybe the intensity of lessons have increased and he is not used to it.
My daughter in same situation as yours. And she is accepting SMU offers.
When it comes to business , SMU provides better trainings than NTU. SMU adopts the US system whereas NUS/NTU adopt UK system. There are more well known US companies than UK’s and that speak volumn. SMU prepares their students to present well and that is important for business. SMU is a 4 years undergraduate program whereas NTU business is 3 years. Some may think 3 years can’t learn as much as a 4 yrs program. SMU location is near business district. Companies are more wiling to travel to SMU for networking than NTU. That gives SMU’s students networking advantages.
I feel building a good business skill foundation worth more than the scholarship amount, if finance is not an issue.