Here are some good news.
12 Sep 2012 :: MOE to remove secondary schools banding
http://sg.sg/schbanding
The Ministry of Education (MOE) will abolish the banding of secondary schools by academic results with immediate effect. It will also remove the Masterplan of Awards (MoA) and reduce the number of school awards from 2014. Instead, MOE will place more emphasis on recognising best practices by schools in delivering a well-rounded education. These changes are in line with MOE's efforts to enable every school to be a good school in delivering a student-centric, values-driven education.
12 Sep 2012 :: MOE to remove secondary schools banding
http://sg.sg/schbanding
The Ministry of Education (MOE) will abolish the banding of secondary schools by academic results with immediate effect. It will also remove the Masterplan of Awards (MoA) and reduce the number of school awards from 2014. Instead, MOE will place more emphasis on recognising best practices by schools in delivering a well-rounded education. These changes are in line with MOE's efforts to enable every school to be a good school in delivering a student-centric, values-driven education.
Here's a report in Today paper
ReplyDeletehttp://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120913-0000059/No-more-banding-of-secondary-schools
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120913-0000049/MOEs-aim-is-to-make-every-school-a-good-school
ReplyDeleteI congratulate Minister Heng Swee Kiat for taking the bold step to kill a sacred cow.
ReplyDeleteBanding, which was only introduced in 2004, is not a sacred cow.
ReplyDeleteIt was just an extension of rankings.
Even if MOE and mainstream media avoid ranking the schools, the schools themselves will be publishing their academic results and other achievements.
Parents will still try to rank the schools themselves or turn to some bloggers who will compile all these results to come up with some type of rankings.
Even though the Singapore government and media does not rank the local universities, the local universities are still being ranked internationally with other universities.
Rankings (or bandings) are the results of demand-driven stimulus.
I second that!
ReplyDeleteFinally, some real actions on the Education front.
Maybe, the boosting of English at the PSLE can also qualify as a minor surgery.
As long as the "sacred Cow' dun jeopardize the political position of the PAP Govt, they will "kill it", as part of the "charm offensive" in motion, it's a survival tool for self interest protection, the usual moral stand, " Unpopular but prudent" is now blowing off in the wind.
ReplyDeleteEven Mr. Tan has now been charmed. More "selective" killing of certain sacred cows are coming ahead, but definitely not of the ISA, sincerely hope could eat back my words on this particular "cow".
yujuan
ReplyDeleteI want to be fair in giving comments and to acknowledge what I consider to be right. I am not being "charmed".
I am optimistic that the scenario painted by Snowy Beagle will not materialize.
ReplyDelete