To retain or not, that's the question

Parents, teachers and education groups are split over an Education Ministry plan to retain students who are unable to master the 3Rs (reading, writing, and arithmetics) in the first three years of primary education.

Nanyang Siang Pau today quoted Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong as saying that the ministry is studying a proposal to have under-performing students undergo another year of education based on special syallabus derived from Year 2 and 3.

In an immediate reaction Tamil Foundation chairperson Udaya Soorian expressed disapproval, saying that “the government should instead introduce a pre-school system in all primary schools to prepare students in their basics”.

“They also should find a way to reduce the number of students in a class so the students can learn better,” Udaya added.

Educational, Welfare and Research Foundation chairperson, SP Pathi said, however, that he is in complete support of the suggestion.

“Any remedial action at an early stage is better than Remove Class (prior to) Form 1. This will be able to identify schools that are not up to mark (should many students be retained),” he said.

Reacting to the report, a parent said that holding back students would be unproductive. She also questioned the need to change the policy.

“Take the teaching of mathematics and science in English, for example. They keep changing the policy but this produces no results,” said EV Goh, who has a son in Year 1.

“The Education Ministry should focus more on making sure that schools have enough teachers.”

KT Tan, a primary school teacher of 20 years, said he agrees with the proposal but stressed that the ‘retained’ students should be taught based on a special programme.

“Maybe something similar to the Integrated Curriculum for Primary School can be introduced to help out these students,” he said when contacted.

Special class

According to the news report citing the ministry’s survey, about 10 percent of primary school students are unable to achieve the level they should, due to poor basics. These students eventually drop out of school.

Under the proposal, students will be monitored during the first three years of primary education.

In Year 3, teachers will give one-on-one attention to those who lag in their studies. By the time they complete Year 3, teachers would be in a position to know their educational needs

At this stage, students who need to be ‘retained’ will be grouped in a special class for a year. During this period, elements of Year 2 and 3 lessons will be reinforced.

It was not reported what would happen to the students if they are still unable to show progress at the end of the ‘retained’ year.