Tag: Singapore

Parents, Pupils Will Get Time To Adjust To PSLE Changes

The makeover of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is still some time away, with the announcement to come next year at the earliest, said Education Minister Heng Swee Keat.

Parents and pupils will be given enough time to respond and adjust to the changes when they are implemented, he added.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said two years ago in his National Day Rally speech that the high- stakes exam would be revamped, and the aggregate T-score done away with.

Instead of getting a score out of 300 points, pupils will get grade bands – similar to how students get graded from A1 to F9 for the O levels or A to E for the A levels. The grades will then be converted to points to be used for admission into secondary schools.

Mr Heng said the Ministry of Education (MOE) is already putting diverse programmes in place in primary and secondary schools to meet the needs of different children. For instance, each secondary school has to develop two distinctive programmes by 2017 to cater to students’ interests.

“It is about choosing the school that has the programme, the emphasis and the fit, rather than about that one school that you must go to,” he said.

Recent SkillsFuture initiatives – such as the Earn and Learn programme for polytechnic and Institute of Technical Education graduates as well as the introduction of modular courses at the post-secondary level – also aim to send a message to parents and students that the emphasis is on lifelong learning and helping students enter their areas of interest, said Mr Heng.

“Some of us may take a longer pathway to reach our peak. Some of us may take a shorter pathway, and some will take a path less travelled and go do something completely different,” he said.

“There are many good pathways and I don’t need to cram at just the PSLE level and say that I must get into that one school.”

The MOE is still in the process of implementing programmes in secondary schools – especially in neighbourhood schools – to create differentiation, said Mr Heng.

These initiatives to create a more diverse secondary school landscape, with different schools offering different niche areas, will come before the PSLE revamp.

“Some parents believe that a certain school will help their child succeed better… It will take some time for this mindset to change,” said Mr Heng, adding that the end goal is not just about grades, but also about finding success in life.

Source: http://youthphoria.stomp.com.sg

August 26, 2015
10 Issues For GE2015

Even before the first speech on the hustings has been delivered, several issues, both old and new, have surfaced in recent weeks among the political parties in Singapore.

How have the older issues evolved since the last General Election (GE) in 2011 and will new issues dominate GE2015?

1. LEADERSHIP SUCCESSION

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has cast this GE as one in which the next generation of leaders will be decided.

“More than that, you will be choosing the team to work with you for the next 15-20 years, and setting the direction for Singapore for the next 50 years,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.

His remark came soon after the issue of the Writ of Election, a legal document that sets the election process in motion.

It was also a theme he touched on in his National Day Rally speech, when he noted that he and some of his Cabinet colleagues were in their late 50s and 60s and “will not be around forever”. This is why the next team of leaders had to be “ready in the wings”.

2. ECONOMY

China’s decision to devalue its currency has wiped out more than US$5 trillion (S$7 trillion) from stock markets around the world in the past two weeks and is threatening to create another global financial storm.

Voters will head to the polling stations under these dark clouds and a domestic economy that looks set to grow at an insipid rate of between 2 per cent and 2.5 per cent this year.

For the ruling party, the threat of an economic downturn might serve to focus minds on how the PAP government has been the stable pair of hands that successfully navigated the country through previous recessions.

3. SECURITY AND EXTERNAL THREATS

Similarly, external threats are also likely to weigh on the minds of voters as the election campaign season approaches.

Worries over the growing influence of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria terrorist group as well as the rising political instability in Malaysia are two external threats that loom large, say analysts, who pointed to the symbolic timing of Polling Day: Sept 11.

“Sept 11 is a good international backdrop. Why? Most of the First World countries will be remembering the tragic events of 9/11 in 2001,” said associate professor Alan Chong of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. He added that PAP could use the occasion to remind voters about the types of external threats Singapore faces and tell them to vote wisely.

4. IMMIGRATION

The presence of foreigners remains a sensitive issue, PM Lee acknowledged in his Rally speech on Sunday, noting that there were no painless solutions to this challenge of immigration. The country needs foreign workers to keep the economy humming, but had to manage the flow carefully to address public unease over the inflow. Immigration and foreign workers were hot topics in the last GE, with many Singaporeans complaining they were crowding locals out of jobs, MRT trains and buses. While the Government has taken steps to stem the flow of foreigners and address housing and transport woes, this issue remains the PAP’s “Achilles’ heel”, said Singapore Management University (SMU) law professor Eugene Tan.

5. TRANSPORT

Much has been done to fix the public transport problems, with the building of new train lines and addition of hundreds of new buses on the road.

But a massive breakdown on the North-South and East-West MRT lines last month, combined with crowded trains every morning, only serve to remind people that the efforts to fix the system are yet to prove effective.

6. HOUSING

After a concerted push to ramp up the supply of new Housing Board flats, alongside fresh measures to cool the housing market, complaints about costly homes are far fewer now compared to five years ago.

But, as National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in a recent interview, his “mission” to fix the housing situation is not yet complete.

Some Singaporeans still worry they cannot afford an HDB flat, while others wonder if the cooling measures could affect their property values in the long run.

7. COST OF LIVING AND THE WAGE GAP

A pet topic of opposition parties at rallies, the rising cost of living has been a major complaint among voters for many years.

This election will be no different, with renewed focus on Singapore becoming expensive, especially for the lower-income groups.

Tied to it is the widening income gap and whether enough has been done to narrow it.

Said SMU law don Eugene Tan: “It’s not just about people paying more. The deeper unhappiness is the sense that economic growth and wealth have not been equitably shared.”

8. AHPETC

One issue the PAP is likely to focus on is the Workers’ Party’s management of the town council looking after the constituencies it won at the last election.

In the past year, the PAP has been on the offensive. Its heavyweight ministers took turns to press WP in Parliament to account for mismanaging the finances of Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC).

The WP retorted that it has been transparent in giving information, and accused the PAP of politicking.

Expect fireworks on this one in the campaign ahead, analysts said.

“From the PAP’s perspective, this issue relates to integrity and competence, but WP may cast it as the absence of a level playing field for opposition parties,” said National University of Singapore sociologist Tan Ern Ser.

9. CHECKS AND BALANCES

If there is one strong argument for why people should vote opposition, it is that there is a need for checks on the dominant party in power.

In GE2011, there was a fear that with WP chief Low Thia Khiang and Singapore People’s Party chief Chiam See Tong leaving their single seats for bigger group representation constituencies, there would be no opposition in Parliament.

Today, with the changed political landscape of WP holding seven seats, the debate is whether voters should give it even more seats.

Will its slogan of Towards a First World Parliament and call for more checks still hold sway now that voters have seen them in action?

10. WILD CARDS

Election campaigns in the past have always thrown up a fair share of surprises, from a defamation suit against Singapore Democratic Party’s leaders on the eve of GE 2006 to a PAP potential candidate being dropped at the last minute.

This year, will personalities like SingFirst’s outspoken chief Tan Jee Say make headlines? Or maybe a surprise candidate could show up on Nomination Day and disrupt various parties’ well-laid out plans.

Much will depend on the events that unfold over the nine-day campaign.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

August 26, 2015
Teach, Don’t Demand, Success

I was walking to my Primary 1 class when a pupil told me that a boy was crying.

I found out the boy had scored 98 out of 100 marks for his Chinese test, which was a fantastic score that he should have been proud of.

But no, he was afraid to go home as his mother would cane him for not achieving a perfect score. My heart went out to him.

I saw another boy, a Primary 4 pupil, crying quietly and blaming himself for his errors after scoring 83 marks for mathematics. He, too, was afraid to return home.

A year later when I left the school, he made a photo album as my farewell gift.

In it was a note that read: “Dear Mrs Yeo, do you remember the day that you consoled me for getting low marks? I would like to thank you for telling me to be strong, and that everybody makes mistakes.”

He was able to overcome the setback because a figure of authority showed him that it was all right to fall down, that he will continue to do so and that he can benefit from it.

Our children constantly look up to us for approval and guidance.

Let’s remember the huge impact these have on them. When they feel loved and supported after they tumble, they will be able to stand up, learn to avoid the pothole that made them trip and emerge better and stronger.

These incidents in my career as a teacher and principal altered my expectations of my own children’s academic achievements.

I decided that I certainly did not want to create pressure and foster performance anxiety in my children. Just achieve your personal best, I told them.

Parental expectations can have a strong and positive effect on a child’s academic success.

In a study by the Harvard Family Research Project, Professor William H. Jeynes of California State University in the United States found that parental expectations affected children’s academic outcomes more than other types of parental involvement, including attendance of school events and the setting of clear rules.

Clear expectations, paired with loving and supportive attitudes, can help children to learn manners, social skills, study skills, and other tools that they will need to succeed in school and in society.

To establish healthy academic and behavioural expectations, parents should be aware of their children’s unique needs, skills, strengths, and maturity levels.

Avoid comparing them with others, as every child develops at a different rate.

But this does not mean parents should set their sights too low. Low expectations can make it difficult for children to realise and achieve their full potential.

It is better to create small, manageable goals to ensure that children progress in their learning, while not feeling daunted.

I helped a Primary 1 pupil who was scoring zero out of 10 marks in her spelling tests, by encouraging her to learn just one word instead of 10 per test. She tried and managed to spell the word correctly.

I then increased the number of words to two, and then to three. Over time, she finally achieved a perfect score of 10 marks. She was not just learning how to spell words; she learnt that she could do it.

Moreover, she learnt to break things down into bite sizes when the task became too daunting.

This goes far beyond doing well in school. When she faces this type of situation at work or life, this skill will continue to serve her well. Unrealistically high expectations can set a child up for failure, anxiety, discouragement and low self-esteem when he cannot live up to his parents’ goals. This can also lead to insubordinate behaviour.

A boy enrolled in a “branded” school was struggling to cope. I spoke to his parents about his challenges and frustration and suggested that they place him in an environment that nurtured his strengths. They were indignant at my recommendation and insisted that their son was just not trying hard enough.

The poor boy was unable to keep up with the academic requirements in school. He felt that he would never be able to meet his parents’ expectations and became very angry.

He thought that since he would never be good enough, he might as well be really bad.

He hung out with bad company and became very rude to his parents, swearing at them whenever he interacted with them.

Fortunately, his parents realised that there are many paths to success and stopped insisting that he pursue this through academic means.

He eventually found his calling in cooking and is now at the helm of two successful cafes.

His mum and dad are very proud of his achievement and they now get along very well.

Establishing healthy expectations and communicating them to children are important keys to fostering success.

Jenny Yeo was a principal for 18 years in Kheng Cheng School, Radin Mas Primary School and South View Primary School.She is a lead associate focusing on partnerships and engagement in the engagement and research division of the Ministry of Education.

Source: http://news.asiaone.com

August 26, 2015
Cemetery Worker Gets 15 Years Jail And 24 Strokes Of The Cane For Raping Homeless 12 Year Old Girl

A cemetery labourer who raped a homeless 12-year-old girl staying at the burial ground with her family was sentenced to 15 years’ jail and the maximum 24 strokes of the cane yesterday.

Roslan Jaafar, 42, had pleaded guilty in April to two counts of statutory rape and one count of sexual assault of a minor.

Yesterday, his lawyer, Mr Subir Singh Grewal, appointed under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, asked for a jail term of 10 years.

He noted that Roslan had not intentionally sought the girl for sex and believed she was sexually experienced when in fact she was not.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Quek Jing Feng, however, argued for a deterrent sentence of 10 to 15 years, pointing to the 26-year age gap between Roslan and the girl.

Two other counts of sexual assault of a minor and sexual exploitation of a child were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Roslan has a son and three daughters from a marriage which ended in divorce in 2006. He has lost contact with his ex-wife and daughters and looks after his son.

In March 2012, his son, who was then eight, started playing with the victim and her younger sister at the cemetery while Roslan was working. At the time, the girl’s family had no fixed abode and lived temporarily in a tent at the burial site.

After introducing himself to the girls’ mother, he visited the family regularly and grew close to them.

In May, Roslan began to take her out regularly to run errands, usually for more than two hours each time.

He would take her on his motorcycle to a quiet spot nearby at night.

He had sex with her on a bench on two occasions and sexually violated her on three other occasions .

He told the girl not to tell her mother about it.

Although the girl consented to having sex with him, by law, sex with a girl under 14, with or without her consent, is considered rape.

On June 1 that year, the girl’s maternal uncle was visiting the family when Roslan took her out.

When they did not return after more than two hours, the uncle became worried.

He searched for Roslan’s number on the girl’s phone and found text messages from him.

After the girl returned, the uncle confronted her with the messages. She broke down and told him what had happened.

A police report was made at the Nanyang Neighbourhood Police Centre and Roslan was arrested last year.

The girl’s family is no longer staying at the cemetery.

The maximum jail term on each charge of rape and sexual assault is 20 years.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

August 26, 2015
Airforce Engineer Jailed 8 Months For Molesting Two Teenage Girls

An airforce engineer who molested two teenage girls in a bus and in a Housing Board lift was jailed for eight months on Tuesday.

Andrew Teng Ye Feng, 26, had admitted to brushing against a 13-year-old’s buttocks inside a lift in Woodlands on Sept 14 last year, and touching an 18-year-old’s breast on a double-decker bus on Sept 8.

A court heard that Teng saw the 13-year-old student at a bus stop that day and decided to follow her.

He went into the lift as the victim and two women.

After the two women got out, he stood behind the victim and committed the offence.

The victim also saw him trying to pull down his pants from the reflection in the glass door of the lift.

Feeling uncomfortable, she moved towards the door of the lift, and frantically pressed the lift buttons to open the lift door.

She exited on the 12th floor and ran to her aunt’s house. She then related the incident to her mother over the phone. The mother made a police report.

On Sept 4, Teng and the 18-year-old student boarded SBS Transit Service No 143 at Jurong East Bus Interchange.

She went to the upper deck and sat at the window seat at the second last row while he sat behind her.

When the bus was travelling along West Coast Road that evening, she felt someone touching her breast, but did not pay much attention. She thought her bag had bumped into her left breast.

Teng did it again as she had not reacted to his touch the first time. She immediately turned around and saw his hand resting on the window ledge .

Outraged, she said to him: “Excuse me?”

Teng quickly moved his hand away.

Investigation showed on both occasions when he touched her, Teng had used his bag to shield his hand from the closed-circuit television camera overhead.

His lawyer, Mr Lee Ah Fong, said Teng has been suspended from work since October last year . Mr Lee said Teng committed the offences out of “mischief”, could not understand his own bizarre actions, and had sought psychiatric and psychotherapy treatment.

The maximum punishment for molestation is two years’ jail, fine and caning. For outraging the modesty of a girl under 14, Teng could have been jailed for up to five years, fined, caned or given a combination of these penalties.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

August 26, 2015