Teatime: Your kids are not gifted if they struggle for GEP
This is part of a weekly column in which we talk about anything under the sun
"I have been irked to no end by parents and enrichment centres preparing children for GEP (Gifted Education Programme). I sincerely hope this news throws these parents into disarray and I strongly hope the enrichment centres focusing on preparing children for GEP will close down," my friend L wrote in a Facebook post.
It was shortly after Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that GEP, which caters to the top 1 per cent of primary school pupils, will be discontinued in its current form.
It will be replaced with an updated approach to benefit more children, said PM Wong in his first National Day Rally speech at ITE College Central on Aug 18.
The updated programme will also allow pupils to stay in their own primary schools, where they can remain with friends and teachers whom they have bonded with, he added.
There is a divide on the reactions following the announcement, with more gravitating towards supporting the abolishment.
It should have come sooner, particularly since the Ministry of Education has been trying to remind parents that "every school is a good school" – a point that has still not percolated through to parents of schoolgoing children yet.
I am reminded of about 16 years ago, when my son was one of those "selected" by his teachers to take the GEP test. Of course, we were proud parents – it gave us bragging rights – but we did nothing to "prepare" him.
We figured it was good if he made it, no big deal if he didn't.
The boy was shortlisted for the second round but before we could share the news with the extended family, he declared his reluctance to continue.
"I don't want to change school. I like my teachers and all my good friends are here," he insisted. He chose to, as PM Wong pointed out yesterday, "remain with friends and teachers" he had bonded with.
He also didn't relish the idea of having to compete with peers who had perfect academic scores as their main goal. "Too much unnecessary stress," I recalled sharing his reason with others later.
His younger sister was spared the agony a year later: the late bloomer faced no dilemma and was oblivious to the academic competition.
Until now, a couple of close friends occasionally remind me of that lost opportunity and sometimes ask if I ever regretted allowing the boy his freedom of choice.
No, no regrets. Especially now.
Mr L shared how parents are sending their children to enrichment centres for GEP-preparation classes.
A highly-popular centre advertises the number of success cases on its website. (See photo below.)
There are at least three other top centres known to promote GEP success rates.
But what defines "gifted"? Most dictionaries offer the same meaning: having exceptional talent or natural ability. If you have to push and train your child to pass the test, I reckon it isn't quite accurate to claim they are gifted.
As a parent, I can understand how some of these parents feel and the sentiment underlying the anxiety: the need to try to give the best to your kid is a strong instinct.
I think it’s exaggerated, but it’s easy to be swayed, especially with the testimonials of past students plastered on the walls of these tuition centres, or when you hear how all the rich kids at branded schools are getting an even bigger advantage by attending super tuition centres that charge an arm and a leg.
Every parent will have a different take on this. I suspect there is no right answer because it’s emotive.
Maybe parents will need to watch their children, and ask if the price of that “leg up” – whether true or not – is worth the added stress.
Perhaps, next move for MOE to consider – abolish Direct School Admission. After all, "every school is a good school".
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