5/24/2019

Education to serve social/political or educational goals

SINGAPORE: Education Minister Ong Ye Kung announced the momentous move to end streaming in secondary schools by 2024 in March.

Schools are now encouraged to do away with the practice of grouping students into form classes by academic ability and instead experiment with innovative ways to group students.

The idea is that this will encourage children from different backgrounds to interact with each other. In the long run, this would lead to better social mixing and greater societal cohesion – or so is thought.
CHALLENGES WITH DOING AWAY WITH ABILITY-BASED CLASS GROUPING
Doing away with ability-based grouping necessarily implies that each form class will comprise a more heterogeneous mix of students than before. A pertinent consideration is whether teachers are well prepared to teach such classes.

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/streaming-subject-based-banding-group-class-cca-secondary-school-11531090

This is the latest change in our education system, dismantling the past objectives of churning out the best in our students in their respective fields of excellence. Now looks like this is not in the interest of the state, that students excelling in academic subjects should be secondary to the goal of social integration, mixing the able with the less able, the rich and the poor, and all races into a melting pot is more important than producing academic excellence. Is this the way to go forward, is this what parents want of their children or what politicians want of our children?

What do parents spent so much time and money for, to produce children that can mix with everyone at all social levels, intellect and backgrounds instead of being top scientists, engineers, doctors etc and etc? Look at what is happening to China, sending its best students overseas not to study soft subjects but hard sciences to compete in high technology of the future and turning China into the most advanced state in science and technology surpassing the Americans in many fields. Would we want to be like China or like some suka suka half past six countries, good for nothing but happy go lucky young of the future?As it is now, our young could not even compete with third world graduates in getting jobs in our own country. How would this turn out if our young of the future turn out to be mediocre good for nothing graduates?

One outcome mentioned in this CNA article is the difficulty in teaching a class of bright and less bright students to the teachers. Going too fast will affect the slower students, going too slow will hold back the faster students. So you will end up with a class of mediocres.

An analogy in the mixing of paints in art classes would suffice to explain the outcome of this social/political policy. If one is to add white paint with white paint or black ink with black ink, the result will be whiter paint or blacker ink. If one is to mix white paint with black ink, you will end up with a spread of grey, from less white to less black, never white or black.

The thinking and objectives of an educationist and that of a politician would be world's apart. Never shall the twains meet. If we have a soldier or whatever to meddle with our education policies, the likelihood is that the system will produce an army of soldiers or whatever, for a soldier would be thinking of producing more soldiers or whatever.

I am wondering what the parents would choose. Definitely they would not want soldiers to determine the education policies of their children. Would our parents choose the social/political results of a politician over the goals of academic excellence for their children? A degree is not important, cannot be eaten? Or would this new change lead to better academic performance of our children? Would the system end up producing more potential politicians? This may not be bad as it is the surest and fastest way to become immediate millionaires.

What do you think?

28 comments:

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@ RB

I am one of the few adults who encourage children to mistrust and even hate the adults who are supposedly have the roles of looking out for the children’s best interest.

Whenever decisions like the ones mentioned are made (by adults), no feedback from the kids is ever elicited. They don’t even ask the opinions older kids whether or not these ideas have merit’ or whether the older kids would have preferred such implementations when they were younger.

Also, MoE and parents have to figure out, whether they want kids to have a childhood which they enjoy, or if childhood is just a phase where children should be “trained” like animals in order to serve as obedient and compliant “productive units” solely for the purpose of the “national interest”.

Here’s a thought: maybe kids are real-life human beings and not just future “production units”. Maybe they have feelings, sentiments, ambitions and aspirations of living lives on their terms and not being a slave to The State, or any unchosen “authority” other than their own souls and sense of self. Wow. Maybe that’s just too much to be expected from these so-called “adults in-charge”.

Victim of Experiment said...

Basically the Ministry of/for Education is not interested in educating the citizens and prepare them for future challenges. It is only interested in EXPERIMENTS, especially experiments to satisfy the personal ego of the minister, head of Sept or principals, and to fulfil social engineering objectives.

That's why I have decided long ago (when I was made one of the guinea pigs to do a two-year syllabus in one year) to refer to MOE as the Ministry of Experiments.

Every time when there is a change of minister, the incoming minister is bound to make changes (usually drastic) to upset the whole system before the ideas of the previous minister could take root and set in as a proper well-tried system that need very little tweaking except in the curriculums (to cater for future needs). How to have a clear system when you keep shaking the water before the dusts settle?

And at the higher institutions and schools levels, whenever there is a change of the chief or principal, the system is bound to be shaken again merely because the new incumbents have/want to prove to his/her boss that he/she is worth the salt.

The matter became worse when the military ranking system was introduced and become the main assessment for promotion of the teaching and educational staff.

In the end, the tail ends get all the shits pour unto them from each and every level from the very top down to their teachers (who are now not teachers but guides; the parents and Tution teachers are the Real teachers.)

The tail ends are the students. The srudents' stresses therefore increased many-folds. Just imagine a primary one student having to tackle a primary six maths problem and you will understand how much the unnecessary stress has been put upon them because of the over-ambitious principals or over-zealous guides (supposedly teachers).

Those are my two cents in very brief.

Anonymous said...

The problem of today education is that it lack the moral education which result in too many voyeur peeing tom Hanks around the uni & society. The edu sys of today is irrelevant for the future as one graduated become jobless unemployed or underemployed Grab/Gojek/Screwty/Cleaners. The young bright ones r uninterested in Science & Technology but more on Econs & Finance/Commercial which results in many FTs flooding here for stealing the local rice bowl, there is nothing the Minister can do but to dismantle the current edu sys , it's a bad indication to the Sinkies that to hv good edu sys go elsewhere for it or u pay for it lah..

Anonymous said...

The teachers are paid to teach but they don't teach. They just pile on homework, homework and more homework. They expect the parents or tuition teachers to teach the kids how to do the homeworks.

It became like this because some years back the Pee-Aim said: "Teach Less, Learn More" during one of his NDR Speeches

How do you expect students to learn more without teaching them at least the basics?

Virgo49 said...

What's you expect when you have Uni Prof who broke traffic laws and defiant.

Liars absonding with clients monies.

Undergrads peeping vouyers.

Generation of Monsters by MOE.

Anonymous said...

Singapore is on a Long March towards self destruction . . .

Anonymous said...

The whole system, starting right from play school and kindergarten to NS, is a prolonged indoctrination process to make each and every child a "useful" and "positive" digit to the society


"Useful" means work hard (not work smart) until you drop dead and vote for PAP.

"Positive" means obedient, subservient and respect and support the PAP leaders.

"Society" means government; and government means the PAP.

Anonymous said...

Hello.....Why worry lah?

All already fated the very moment you are conceived!

Whether you become a Grab driver or a Minister like him.... decided! All fated!

So why study so hard for what?

So.... don't worry! Relax! No point! Enjoy life!

Hahaha.......

Anonymous said...

"mixing the able with the less able" - is it to make the less able more able, or to make the able more daft ??

A daft population is more easy to control !

Anonymous said...

Rb this is madness lar. Someone needs to be sodomized lar😀

Anonymous said...

Ah Kang might be practicing the Confuscious Teaching of "有教无类" and to minimize on "因材施教" as tis is wat he had learnt from during his era. Based on tiny red dot edu past, it's better to accept the former edu strategy so as to promote more social integration and lesser social polarization & stratefication, its not a surprise at all in tis foreigners turned new citizens churned society of Sinkieland.

Anonymous said...

Now you know how important who you voted for to parliament? Your future, your children's life and future are at the mercy of the person you voted for.

Be warned, be careful the next time you decide who to vote, not to vote someone to be your ruler.

Anonymous said...

This is like saying all the old leaders who believe in meritocracy are stupid or wrong. That is why all the old policies are being thrown away. Is someone turning in his grave?

The new leaders are more brilliant and wiser than them, at least in how to educate our young.

Anonymous said...

Who did you voted at the last GE?

So deserved it!

How next GE? Sama Sama?

Anonymous said...

@All,

When I was in Primary school in the 1970s, one of my form teachers said "The education & school system you're in now is one of the strongest & insidious propaganda and behaviour-forming program of the PAP. Always take what I & other adults say with a big pinch of salt."

I didn't understand what the fuck was "insidious" or "propaganda", but more or less got the gist of the message. It stuck with me throughout the rest of my education, as well as in NS.

And finally when I was a worker slave in the 1990s & 2000s, I never forgot that statement.

I refused to follow the Singapore Dream of 5 C's, and hence was able to retire at 40 with a large enough portfolio of War Stocks as well as others in Tech, Healthcare, and sin/addiction stocks like tobacco and cigarettes (now heavily into vaping & R&D into marijuana), alcohol, fast food, soft drinks, junk food in general etc.

BTW, that Pri school teacher --- migrated to Oz in the late-1980s with S'pore Pension & enjoyed SHIOK LIFE until passed away few years ago.

Anonymous said...

Time to do away with Aristocrat, Scholar and Elite in the Cabinet.
All that we need in the Parliament are folks with COMMONSENSE, WISDOM, PROPRIETY AND INTEGRITY.

It dangerous to have shenanigans with glip tongue, scheming propensity and worst, void of conscience to run the Society.
Self serving and avaricious clever folks are worse than thug and maruader. They shall destroy the Wellbeings of the People and the Land.

Anonymous said...

12.32pm is the WSG so we now know a bit of his background. He definitely qualifies to be sodomized.😀

Anonymous said...

@Anon

///12.32pm is the WSG so we now know a bit of his background.///

Aiyoh ..... I've already mentioned my background so many times in this blog.

But most people here have problems with reading & comprehension i.e. stupid.

Even dogs are able to understand commands after a few trainings.

Anonymous said...

It can be possible but

Teacher and principal must b father,mother

And school is home.not home,home.

Anonymous said...

We voted for this at last GE?

Correct? Now kpkb? Too late?

Anonymous said...

春江水暖鸭先知,

Technological Independence (TI) is maciam National Independence (in this treacherous and perfidious era)?

灩灩随波千万里。

HW and HS have been suddenly ambushed and encircled with their supply lines blockaded not unlike enemies cutting off the supply routes to starve people to death during wartime?

何处祖国无月明,

How different is it from wartime practices?


Which is more important?

The masses WELFARE?

Or the (selfish, self-centred) POO(BALL)liticians KPIs (and re-election)?

人间正道是沧桑。

Anonymous said...

Now the noose that the POO(BALL)liticians are trying to tighten around the Chinese economy neck had been extended to China security systems companies such as HIKVISION, on top of the first round blockade targeted at HW (HuaWei) and HS (HiSilicon - HW's subsidiary headed by HW's CEO 任正非's trusted semiconductor bona fide expert, not expurt, CEO 何庭波)?

Since 2003, after millions of Iraqis were killed, maimed, critically injured and crippled, made homeless, families blown and torn apart, their leader brutally overthrown, captured, killed and "corpse"/ statues dragged through the streets, did the POO(BALL)liticians found, uncovered or produced any (hard) evidence of WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction)?

Have the POO(BALL)liticians produced any evidence that showed HW products have security issues?

天若有情亦流泪,长江流着百姓泪;
伟大祖国永不屈, 绵绵长征千万里;
何处祖国无月明,爱国男女无逃兵;
力挺华为耀祖国,人间正道日月明。

Anonymous said...

TrumpNomics or DumpNomics or DotardNomics?

What say you?

The most economics ignoramus POTUS in history?

The latest tariffs hike of 25% on Chinese imports will likely cancel out whatever tax breaks Dotard signed into law (so far)?

Means what?

In basic economics, this beggar thy neighbour protectionistic measure would simply boomerang back and backfire on Americunt's own economy?

Why?

The problem is Dotard is not aware they do not have the import substitution industries to provide cover for their heroic offensive charging Calvary and thus sitting ducks (likely) turning into gun fodder?

Any protectionist measure can only work if it fulfills MLC (Marshall Lerner Condition) or if not, will have to suffer the J Curve effects which can last several years (before any benefit to the protectionist cuntry can) ?

If it doesn't (work) , who suffers (straight away and also in the end)?

Looking back, in comparison, ChaTaoNomics and OrhNeeKooNomics are RELATIVELY so much more superior than DotardNomics (despite the
Americunts having some of the best economics experts globally) ?

In another comparison, this Dotard economics IGNORAMUS POO(BALL)litician dwarfs even the most ginormous economic ignoramus in sinkieland?

UG said...

Officer on top say : Hmm Sai Keng
Man below Cao Yi Lang : Yes Sir, I will go Pai Sai Keng
50 years later, sound of ping pong ball on table tennis table : Pik Piak Pik Piak Pik Piak

Hi Da Jia Hao ah. I am TouFu Dao Hu ah. You can come and press me ah. I am actually very soft and fluffy but you cannot eat me and better dont eat me. I am like my previous Jiak Liao Bee. Cao already. They are call strawberry cao mei, cao liao fah mei millennial generation. At least their name is long and they know how to describe themselves. I only know I am call TouFu. That all. Full stop. Thank very everyone. Thank you Thank you. BraBraBella Chiong lai liao. Piak and Piak, Baseball ball dunno fly to where. Cannot find. Home Run. Go international already. Clap clap clap. Xie xie da jia. Kam Sia Tai Lo.

Anonymous said...

WSG, can sodomize u or not?😅

Anonymous said...

@ UG May 25, 2019 5:30 am
//50 years later, sound of ping pong ball on table tennis table : Pik Piak Pik Piak Pik Piak//


Have you not heard of Palmergate and Mount Buttockgate? Piak And Piak in hotel eat mango and supposedly even in premises paid by taxpayers $$$, told husbands got meetings many many meetings... What meeting ah? Mei Mei (aka CB?) meeting DiDi (aka LJ) MEETINGS? MEAT & MEAT? 1 min (Didi) meet (meimei) how many times ah? What meeting is that? Hopefully not during office hours at taxpayers expense or in office premises piak and piak until the juice and "milk" splashed like floodgate dam broken and dripped all over office carpet?

Anonymous said...

WSG I don't think I like you but I also want to sodomize you😀

imho said...

All along MOE has failed terribly so Sg has to import so many ''FTs" to do jobs that locals should be doing.