As the PRC scholar, I do not know about the gifted education programme (GEP) very much. From the context, I think that GEP is just a kind of elites system. Students from GEP may be thought about the best students in Singapore. In my opinion, GEP does not cause many problems to the society and education of Singapore. Besides, GEP is good to the meritocratic system in Singapore. Singapore needs elites and the goal of GEP is to supply the elites to society. The mainly issue about GEP is if GEP will provide too many snobs to Singapore. Besides, Singaporeans may concern that if that the GEP students are really the nerds with talents and hardworking now.
About the first problem, I think that there may always be some snobs from GEP. We do not want the elitism. However, it cannot be avoided. When the GEP develop students with talents, the elitism may occur. Thus, we cannot stop the GEP just because of elitism. Moreover, the snobs are not only from GEP. For example, Hwa Chong Institution and Raffles Institution are both top schools. Students from those schools may feel proud. If the feeling of proud is too strong, the feeling of elitism is formed. The students are all different. The levels will not disappear, thus the elitism cannot disappear easily. What we can do is just to reduce to students affected by the elitism. Actually, I think that the good students need to be humble to face the new knowledge. As a result, when GEP breed elites, it must develop the students in different aspects, not only about studies. Therefore, the GEP students may be humble and like the normal students. The snobs are just minority.
In another way, I do not find that the students around me care much about the GEP. I do not know who are from GEP. This may reflect that GEP may help develop the students, but GEP does not separate the students. This may stop the elitism as much as possible. For the elites are in the normal students thus they may not feel they are very special.
In my opinion, the second problem is much more serious than the elitism. Singapore in the global time needs elites. However, if GEP can breed elites effectively? I think this deserves us to consider. As we know, the studies in a large part depend on the students’ attitude. After the students become the member of GEP, we are not sure if they can always keep working hard and get good results. Some students’ studies may become worse. I have some friends in China. They are the typical students who are the kind that I mention above. In sec 1, they study very well and they are the top students. However, in sec 2 and sec 3, they are not the top students any more, although their results are also okay. Therefore, I think that this may also happen to the GEP students. Now, some students are not hardworking as before. Their attitide is not very good either. The result of breeding ineffectively is even worse than breeding snobs.
Therefore, about GEP, I think that what we need to consider should be about the efficiency on breeding elites. Besides, we should consider about the elitism caused by the meritocratic system. Most importantly, I think that we should think about the education of Singapore that if elites are bred effectively.
About the first problem, I think that there may always be some snobs from GEP. We do not want the elitism. However, it cannot be avoided. When the GEP develop students with talents, the elitism may occur. Thus, we cannot stop the GEP just because of elitism. Moreover, the snobs are not only from GEP. For example, Hwa Chong Institution and Raffles Institution are both top schools. Students from those schools may feel proud. If the feeling of proud is too strong, the feeling of elitism is formed. The students are all different. The levels will not disappear, thus the elitism cannot disappear easily. What we can do is just to reduce to students affected by the elitism. Actually, I think that the good students need to be humble to face the new knowledge. As a result, when GEP breed elites, it must develop the students in different aspects, not only about studies. Therefore, the GEP students may be humble and like the normal students. The snobs are just minority.
In another way, I do not find that the students around me care much about the GEP. I do not know who are from GEP. This may reflect that GEP may help develop the students, but GEP does not separate the students. This may stop the elitism as much as possible. For the elites are in the normal students thus they may not feel they are very special.
In my opinion, the second problem is much more serious than the elitism. Singapore in the global time needs elites. However, if GEP can breed elites effectively? I think this deserves us to consider. As we know, the studies in a large part depend on the students’ attitude. After the students become the member of GEP, we are not sure if they can always keep working hard and get good results. Some students’ studies may become worse. I have some friends in China. They are the typical students who are the kind that I mention above. In sec 1, they study very well and they are the top students. However, in sec 2 and sec 3, they are not the top students any more, although their results are also okay. Therefore, I think that this may also happen to the GEP students. Now, some students are not hardworking as before. Their attitide is not very good either. The result of breeding ineffectively is even worse than breeding snobs.
Therefore, about GEP, I think that what we need to consider should be about the efficiency on breeding elites. Besides, we should consider about the elitism caused by the meritocratic system. Most importantly, I think that we should think about the education of Singapore that if elites are bred effectively.
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