Should there be education reform in Singapore?

last SG · 2009-10-08T19:14:43+00:00

Yeah. My chemistry teacher once said "formulas" instead of "formulae""fomulas" and "formulae" are both correct.

Alpha Omega SG

After the Ris Low saga, many people are calling for a total reform of the way languages are taught in Singapore.

Not only do the students speak and write bad English, even the teachers do not acknowledge the need for proper english. With most teachers who do not teach the English language being the worst offenders.

One reader wrote into the straits times today, saying that he saw a teacher wrote this.

"He got fine for feeding the monkeys"

and spelt Sulphur as Sulfur.

eagle SG

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur

Sulfur and Sulphur are both correct

☃® SG

i beleive i started a topic about this. Its not only english but everything needs to be overhauled.

Stevenson101 SG

I don't think the content itself needs to change, it's just facts.

So when you say overhaul you mean the content or the system that decides what content should be taught ?

Alpha Omega SG

Basically to train the teachers the need to speak good English, whether they teach the language or not is irrelevant.

Just because a teacher teaches mathematics does not mean he/she should be allowed to butcher the english language.

Only after the teachers get the proper training, will the students get taught the right way to speak and write good english.

The facts do not need to be changed, because science will remain science, but it is the way it is taught that needs to be changed.

Stevenson101 SG

Basically to train the teachers the need to speak good English, whether they teach the language or not is irrelevant.

Just because a teacher teaches mathematics does not mean he/she should be allowed to butcher the english language.

Only after the teachers get the proper training, will the students get taught the right way to speak and write good english.

The facts do not need to be changed, because science will remain science, but it is the way it is taught that needs to be changed.

When you say good english do you mean American English or British English?

Alpha Omega SG

Well British English would be the benchmark i suppose since Singapore as a nation was once part of the British Empire.

Even if British English was not used as a benchmark, We must at least be able to speak like some of the newscasters on Channel News Asia.

fireng SG

Ris Low so influential sia

Monkeykid SG

I wonder what gives u this idea "We must at least be able to speak like some of the newscasters on Channel News Asia."

angel3070 SG

Unless old dog lee dies, I don't see possibility of any sort of meaningful reform in Singapore.

The old dog is the main obstacle blocking reforms.

He must die.

Babelfish SG

-1

fireng SG

Unless old dog lee dies, I don't see possibility of any sort of meaningful reform in Singapore.

The old dog is the main obstacle blocking reforms.

He must die.

you already say old dog already..just wait for him to die..

charlize SG

I think part of the problem is the fact that many primary kids don't have the habit of reading books much these days.

Most of the time now is spent playing games on the computer or watching TV.

Years back when television programmes were limited and there was no such thing as the internet, kids had all the time to just sit down and read - books from Enid Blyton like the Secret Seven series, Famous Five Series and other adventure books like Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys, Alfred Hitchcock and The 3 Investigators etc.

Reading somehow reinforces the use of proper grammar and language usage though repetitive and consistent usage.

I would suggest starting a good and proper reading program in primary and secondary schools (last time they used to have it but not too sure about now) .

iceFatboy SG

Unless old dog lee dies, I don't see possibility of any sort of meaningful reform in Singapore.

The old dog is the main obstacle blocking reforms.

He must die.

U so sure?? with his demise, U think the whole sg will turned upside down and be a better place? I seriously doubt it.

U are sounding like an old record that keeps going after the forefathers or govt. While I am agreeable with some, I feel that your utmost negativity are driving people from your clause and reasonings.

Instead of complaining, what can you do to better this place? or how will u define a "better" place?

iceFatboy SG

while Language is important, I feel that more important, Civil or Moral studies should be put back into the system. Students (not all) nowsadays, are alien to things such as courtesy, respect for elderly, & morals.

Instead, most of them are just mechanically tuned to compete and get good grades.

Babelfish SG

Instead, most of them are just mechanically tuned to compete and get good grades.

Isn't what you mentioned a result of Singapore's rigid and unorthodox education?

angel3070 SG

Ah, the brainwashing effects of Singapore education designed to trained robots under PAP control.

NaughtyNoob SG

Actually, so what if some of our fellow Singaporeans are sucky at English? We can't really blame them, since some of us are brought up in chinese-educated families speaking 50%< Mandarin, and vice versa. As children, we learn what we hear most the fastest. Why dont we get another Miss World Singapore to speak lousy Mandarin? Then we will blame SG's education to be inefficient in teaching proper mandarin. Nobody can be perfect, same rule applies to countries. Every single SG citizen must speak proper English/Mandarin/Malay/Tamil etc.? Not possible. I'm sure MOE already realises the need to emphasize on English education before this Ris Low saga.

Off topic : I agree with iceFatboy, students nowadays are getting out of hand, even students from top schools are seen doing stupid things. Being a student myself I am getting pissed off by many of my schoolmates.

Babelfish SG

Paper qualifications, exam results, General paper grades.. and we are supposed to judge a person's competence based on all this? come on man this is insanity. A person's capabilities is exhibited during baptism under fire.

Alpha Omega SG

I do agree with this statement.

As a HR practitioner, i have come across some people who have great paper qualifications and results, but horrible EQ and work ethics. Very often when being interviewed, they have this mentality that grades and the institution which they graduated will get them the job being offered.

In my previous firm, we hired this person, fresh out of university, who had great grades, a solid interview, but when after he got hired he could not cope with the rigors of working in a manufacturing environment and left after less than a year.