The gifted education programme is probably well-known to you. To help intellectually gifted students realize their complete potential, this enrichment programme was created. It was initially implemented by the ministry of education in 1984. Subsequently, it was implemented as part of reforms to establish an educational system that is inclusive of a wide range of learning abilities and talents.
It was recognized that intelligent children thrived on high-level intellectual stimulation and may ultimately develop into average individuals. The curriculum and examinations for gifted pupils would be identical to those for the general student body. Nevertheless, in order to provide a more comprehensive examination, supplementary subjects were incorporated. A few critical elements of Singapore’s gifted education programme should be familiar to you.
The “Gifted Project” concept document from 1983 proposed a programme that was based on the idea of enrichment. The paper delineated the GEP’s objectives, which encompassed the development of higher-level reasoning skills and the improvement of self-directed learning capabilities. Both the identification of teachers and the selection of pupils for the programme were covered.
In order to select teachers and pupils for the GEP, conduct teacher training sessions, prepare the new curriculum, and implement the Programme, a special project section was established shortly after May 1983. Subsequently, the project members participated in a week-long training course that was conducted by a distinguished expert in the field of gifted education.
The GEP’s development is monitored through informal meetings and consistent feedback that involve pupils, their parents’ principals, and teachers, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. For successfully promoting all-around development in high-ability students, this programme has received favorable feedback and commendation. The majority of former GEP students who were surveyed in 2005/2006 were accepted into prestigious overseas universities.
Nevertheless, there have been instances in which students have faced derision and discrimination from their peers, as well as difficulty managing the programme’s expectations and burden. In addition, the GEP has been criticized for its emphasis on elitism, as GEP students frequently engaged in exclusive interactions with one another and encountered challenges in establishing connections with their non-GEP peers.
At the primary and secondary levels, this programme has ultimately been progressively expanded. The gifted education programme has endured changes as a result of the integrated programme being implemented at the post-college level.
Nevertheless, it is advisable to consult Terry Chew today if your gifted child requires assistance with the Math Olympiad in Singapore.
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