Tag: Education Ministry

Mr Heng, however, noted that how well a child does in school depends on how motivated he is.

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/parents-urged-to-consider/898332.html

Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat has said parents should consider other factors apart from a school’s previous year cut-off point (COP) when helping their P6 children decide on which secondary school to choose.

          Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat (Photo: MOE)

SINGAPORE: Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat has said parents should consider other factors apart from a school’s previous year cut-off point (COP) when helping their P6 children decide on which secondary school to choose.

Writing on his Facebook page, Mr Heng said it would be good for parents to have an open talk with their children to know what type of secondary school they are interested in.

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Mr Heng, however, noted that how well a child does in school depends on how motivated he is.

So he encourages parents to carefully consider the kind of environment that will best motivate their children, and enable them to develop themselves fully in the next four to five years.

Some children, he said, are late developers and the right environment helps them thrive.

Mr Heng urged parents to think of how best they can help their children develop confidence and enjoy the space to discover his talents and passions.

Continue reading at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/parents-urged-to-consider/898332.html

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Teachers have profound effect on students, says Heng Swee Keat

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/teachers-have-profound/803528.html

Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said teachers “grow knowledge, instill beliefs, inculcate values, nurture passion, and in so doing, they shape the future” of students.

          File photo: Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat

SINGAPORE: Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Thursday “teachers affect all of us more deeply” than one can know.

In a Facebook post ahead of Teachers’ Day on Friday, Mr Heng sent his warmest thoughts and admiration to all teachers who dedicate themselves to bringing out the best in children.

In the tribute to all teachers, Mr Heng said they “grow knowledge, instill beliefs, inculcate values, nurture passion, and in so doing, they shape the future” of their students.

He added that every child who grows up confident and compassionate has been affected by a caring teacher in some way.

Mr Heng said in order to give every child a profound educational experience, every teacher must be a caring educator.

Continue reading at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/teachers-have-profound/803528.html

PSLE could move away from aggregate scores: Lim Biow Chuan

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/psle-could-move-away-from/777972.html

The head of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Education, Member of Parliament Lim Biow Chuan, said that the Primary School Leaving Examination could do with less focus on aggregate scores.

SINGAPORE: The head of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Education, Member of Parliament Lim Biow Chuan, said that the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) could do with less focus on aggregate scores.

He said that this would take away the stress associated with the examination.

Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said recently that changes to the PSLE will be announced at the National Day Rally on Sunday.

It is an annual affair that sends the nation’s parents, students and teachers into a frenzy — for many in Singapore, the PSLE has become a high-stakes examination.

Roger Cheong, a parent, said: “Maybe there should not be so much emphasis on PSLE at such a young age… Maybe as a gauge, but there shouldn’t be so so much weightage on it.

The Education Ministry has acknowledged this and embarked on a year-long review sometime in 2012.

Ahead of the announcements of possible changes, some have suggested going back to basics.

Mr Lim said: “I never knew what was my PSLE score. We selected a few schools that we chose and from there, MOE would post us to those schools, based on our performance. So you don’t have to go down to those minute details as to whether you score 270 or 265 or 275.

“You get broad-based results, and from there, you are allocated schools of your choice. It may not be the exact school of your choice, but it may be a group of schools that you choose and all of them are in the same category.”

Mr Lim also hoped to see more places set aside for the Direct School Admission (DSA) exercise, where students apply to secondary schools based on their achievements and talents before the release of their PSLE results.

Continue reading at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/psle-could-move-away-from/777972.html