All About PSLE AL Scoring System

[lassie girl]

I do agree with the part in bold; this is one of those situations where the system is either working perfectly fine or not working at all depending on which way one approaches it. The vast vast majority of the students who start finish on the intended trajectory. At the same time, not everyone does so we have not reached six sigma process performance either. What to change or leave as is? I don't know...

IF the ultimate target is uni, the IP route does provide a better chance (in terms of cohort %) of making it to your final destination compared to all the other options. Sharing this recent article (nov2021)

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ ... -next-step

Copying parts of it here:
More than half of the 19,700 students posted to a post-secondary institution in this year's JAE in January, went to a polytechnic.
Not including students who took the Direct School Admission and Early Admissions Exercise routes, 51 per cent went to polytechnics, 39 per cent went to a junior college (JC) or Millennia Institute, and 10 per cent to the Institute of Technical Education.
Around 45 per cent of the students who were admitted to the polytechnics via the JAE this year, were eligible for JCs, compared to 40 per cent in 2014.
The route they choose is not cast in stone.
Each year, about 170 JC students switched to the polytechnics - mostly in their first year - while about 50 first-year poly students switched to a JC the following year.
Students eyeing entry into one of the six local universities would also be glad to know that they have a good shot at this, even in the polytechnic route. One in three polytechnic graduates are now accepted to a local university, up from around one in four in 2015.

I can understand why many parents today still choose/prefer to send their kids to the IP schools. This can be seen from the higher cut off points for all the IP entry since it started (except for scgs which has the same cut off for both their IP and o levels track but that’s besides the point). As with all things in life, ideally we all take a calculated risk for every decision or step we take. Focusing on the cup half empty will only make one lose the big picture. For considerations like not being suited for the programme, not being able to catch up or realizing the jc/uni route is not the one the child prefers - this can happen whichever route the child chooses to take. Most importantly, choose a school that suits the child, not the parent. To quote “It must be a school that he wants to go to; it can't be a school that you want him to go to”
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ ... those-they

Even when the going gets tough for whatever reasons, we have to give the child a chance to learn tenacity, resilience and grit as they go along their learning journey. This training is important - so that we don’t have to end up going with them for their first job interview

Edited to add on:
That’s not to say those who didn’t make the cut are not worthy. Parents needs to open our minds and move on with the times. There are indeed many pathways to success now. Academic is only one part of the equation. IP or non IP is not the end game. If we can collectively view education in this manner, there will be no stress, and no labeling. Clearing obstacles for our children won’t make their path smoother in life, and there will no growth. As long as we keep this open mind, and guide our child to take every challenge along the way in their stride, they will all emerge stronger from this learning journey.

Selected for portal publication

[soloestoy]

I do agree with the part in bold; this is one of those situations where the system is either working perfectly fine or not working at all depending on which way one approaches it. The vast vast majority of the students who start finish on the intended trajectory. At the same time, not everyone does so we have not reached six sigma process performance either. What to change or leave as is? I don't know...

I think to assess if the system if working fine or not, we have to look beyond its impact on the 10% who enters if but also the other 90% who have to suffer the stress and anxiety of PSLE just so that these 10% can enjoy a less stressful sec sch journey (granted there are other benefits as well). Less labeling and streaming will reduce the stress for all 12-year-olds.

In other Asian countries, it's usually the senior high exam that's the most important "sorting" exam of a cohort. In Singapore it happens much earlier at age 12.

[bbbay]

I think to assess if the system if working fine or not, we have to look beyond its impact on the 10% who enters if but also the other 90% who have to suffer the stress and anxiety of PSLE just so that these 10% can enjoy a less stressful sec sch journey (granted there are other benefits as well). Less labeling and streaming will reduce the stress for all 12-year-olds.

In other Asian countries, it's usually the senior high exam that's the most important "sorting" exam of a cohort. In Singapore it happens much earlier at age 12.

no matter how the system is tweaked there will always be new set of labelling that will follow, by a portion of the population that like to be better academically than others. That is their perspective. Question is do we allow ourselves to be swept along always by these group people? If we allow ourselves to, we will always be swept along no matter what system is adopted.

Person having this perspective, nothing wrong. But will likely to have the same worries, no matter how a meritocracy system is tweaked.

Now it’s not like after PSLE there are only a few schools to go for. If not selected, there will be no more schooling.

[bbbay]

Hi parents

Earlier someone used the analogy of cup half empty/full to describe the 2 ways to look at a imperfect situation. Pls allow me to suggest a third way:

Once in a poor family a mother sent her 1st son to buy a bottle of oil. That son tripped on the way back and spilled half bottle of oil. He cried over the half bottle of spilled oil. He is a pessimist.

Another day same mother sent his 2nd son to buy a bottle of oil. On the way back that son tripped and spilled half bottle of oil. He is glad he still have half a bottle of oil. He is an optimist.

Another day that mother sent his 3rd son to buy a bottle of oil. He too tripped on the way back and spilled half a bottle of oil. He noticed the bottle is half full. And he tried to work hard to earn some money to refill the half a bottle of lost oil. He is a realist.

In real term, both the pessimist and optimist are left with half bottle of oil. The realist works towards regaining the full bottle oil, which he may or may not succeed, but he stands a chance over both the other 2.

[ChiefKiasu]

... That’s not to say those who didn’t make the cut are not worthy. Parents needs to open our minds and move on with the times. There are indeed many pathways to success now. Academic is only one part of the equation. IP or non IP is not the end game. If we can collectively view education in this manner, there will be no stress, and no labeling. Clearing obstacles for our children won’t make their path smoother in life, and there will no growth. As long as we keep this open mind, and guide our child to take every challenge along the way in their stride, they will all emerge stronger from this learning journey...

I just want to say that you have hit the nail on the head. We cannot and should not try to protect our kids from everything. What we can do is to provide them with options at every major point of their lives, so they are never stuck with no option. That is our main role as parents.

[Veyron]

For those struggling I can understand the setback student may still feel. I think all these should make parent think carefully about selecting the right school fit and no longer enrolling your child into the lowest cut off point school bcos he/she qualifies. Because statistically there is a 6-10 % chance will not fit IP curriculum . But if the child is motivated himself/herself for IP, and the child know beforehand what to expect, that should lower the chance of struggling in IP. Or consult a education psychologist on the child learning style to further mitigate risk of not fitting IP? Money spent on consultation is nothing compared to hassle of switching from IP to another track?

On MOE school finder I see a 4 pointer in Outram Sec, and a 8 pointer in Boon Lay sec. These students chose not to go for IP. Maybe these are wise choices in the long run, made consciously

Intensive enrichment and private tuition can certainly help P6 students to get into IP schools however we all know it will be very difficult to continue such intensive coaching in secondary school due to more subjects and longer school hours. And this could be the reason why some high achieving P6 students may end up struggling and quitting IP school. The other possible reason could be distractions such as gaming, screen time, discipline and motivation issues.

At the same time, there are also some who will quit IP to pursue overseas education. Especially those taking IB program.

Even top universities have dropouts or students taking longer than usual to complete their grad program.

[bbbay]

Intensive enrichment and private tuition can certainly help P6 students to get into IP schools however we all know it will be very difficult to continue such intensive coaching in secondary school due to more subjects and longer school hours. And this could be the reason why some high achieving P6 students may end up struggling and quitting IP school. The other possible reason could be distractions such as gaming, screen time, discipline and motivation issues.

At the same time, there are also some who will quit IP to pursue overseas education. Especially those taking IB program.

Even top universities have dropouts or students taking longer than usual to complete their grad program.

Yes plausible reasons.

[hoshi5]

Hi,

Sorry to tap on this thread. I’m desperately looking for a English tutor who can come to my place (Bukit Batok) to focus on my son who is taking PSLE next year. He is relatively weak (AL6) and v worried as his current online tutor advises me to find a 1-1 tutor that can come down to my place so that he has the attention to brush up on English. Appreciate if u can pm me if u know of any good English tutor. Thank you very much!

[kaisuDad]

My views are, poly students are generally higher in EQ but lower in IQ then their peers in university.

This is just my view and it is not fixed as the child is constantly growing and changing

[Veyron]

My views are, poly students are generally higher in EQ but lower in IQ then their peers in university.

This is just my view and it is not fixed as the child is constantly growing and changing

There are many Poly students who will continue their studies at university
Poly students are generally weaker in the language (s) which is why they choose the Poly route.
However, language doesn't define one's EQ or IQ