Sponginess
The Singapore education system can be very fittingly described as a test of sponginess.
Isn’t it the case? A student gets a certain amount of time to absorb the tested things, ‘squeeze’ it out during the test, and remember the very little amount retained in after the test, the rest being returned to the teacher.
The more you absorb, the more you regurgitate, the better you do.
What a great system eh? Students are able to get A’s for all their subjects. Well, the spongy ones are able to anyway.
What about the rock solid ones? Those who are talented in their field and their field only. They are unjustified by this system because an A among C’s count for nothing here.
There IS a difference between a 90 point A and a 75 point A, but it is not recognised in this system.
Of course, when asked about this, the Ministry of Education will throw some rabble about language subjects not being regurgitate-able and are creative subjects.
That is not entirely true. Take Chinese for an instance. The teacher gives students formats, quotes and ‘chim’ words to memorise and put to use! Which part of it is creative? Which part of it cannot be regurgitated?
What about English? It is much worse. The average students’ standard of English is so bad that the overall standard has been brought down so much. According to several sources (school principal, MOE workers, students) 60% of O level takers flunk English but moderation saved their skin.
This IS a big problem.
Personally, I feel that the minimal passing standard for English would be to have perfect grammar, give or take an error or two. But people now can hardly speak proper English! I feel that having perfect grammar as a minimal passing standard will be the perfect step for the Speak Good English Movement.
Moreover, it is also extremely easy to score 28/30 for English compositions. (28/30 is the maximum amount)
Step 1) Have perfect grammar
Step 2) Make the teacher reach for the dictionary with moderately uncommon words
Voila! Maximum points in the bag! And most of the time, the teacher’s English is worst than the top students’ English and they don’t have proper grammar at all.
This goes to show how proper the MOE is being run now.
The Ministry of Education must really “Wake up their ideas”
Tharman Shanmugaratnam better do something fast.
Isn’t it the case? A student gets a certain amount of time to absorb the tested things, ‘squeeze’ it out during the test, and remember the very little amount retained in after the test, the rest being returned to the teacher.
The more you absorb, the more you regurgitate, the better you do.
What a great system eh? Students are able to get A’s for all their subjects. Well, the spongy ones are able to anyway.
What about the rock solid ones? Those who are talented in their field and their field only. They are unjustified by this system because an A among C’s count for nothing here.
There IS a difference between a 90 point A and a 75 point A, but it is not recognised in this system.
Of course, when asked about this, the Ministry of Education will throw some rabble about language subjects not being regurgitate-able and are creative subjects.
That is not entirely true. Take Chinese for an instance. The teacher gives students formats, quotes and ‘chim’ words to memorise and put to use! Which part of it is creative? Which part of it cannot be regurgitated?
What about English? It is much worse. The average students’ standard of English is so bad that the overall standard has been brought down so much. According to several sources (school principal, MOE workers, students) 60% of O level takers flunk English but moderation saved their skin.
This IS a big problem.
Personally, I feel that the minimal passing standard for English would be to have perfect grammar, give or take an error or two. But people now can hardly speak proper English! I feel that having perfect grammar as a minimal passing standard will be the perfect step for the Speak Good English Movement.
Moreover, it is also extremely easy to score 28/30 for English compositions. (28/30 is the maximum amount)
Step 1) Have perfect grammar
Step 2) Make the teacher reach for the dictionary with moderately uncommon words
Voila! Maximum points in the bag! And most of the time, the teacher’s English is worst than the top students’ English and they don’t have proper grammar at all.
This goes to show how proper the MOE is being run now.
The Ministry of Education must really “Wake up their ideas”
Tharman Shanmugaratnam better do something fast.
posted by The Wordsmith at
12:12 am
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