Integration With Mainstream
In an article in The Straits Times on 3 November 2007, the MOE announced its new scheme to "encourage" greater integration between GEP and mainstream students, to combat elitism and encourage socialisation. GEP students in the nine primary GEP centres would spend up to 50% of their lesson time with the top 2% to 5% of the cohort, or the top mainstream students. They would do activities such as studying with them,etc. The announcement of the integration provoked much buzz on the blogosphere. While some felt that this might alleviate some of the stereotypes and prejudice and relieve the generally bad press that GEP students and the GEP had gotten over the past few years, others raised objections such as the fact that the only mainstream pupils affected were the top students, which in their view did not eradicate elitism. GEP pupils are put off by the antics of the mainstreamers, some students say. This in part due to the inferiority complex that the mainstreamers towards GEP students.
Read more about this topic: Gifted Education Programme (Singapore)
Famous quotes containing the words integration and/or mainstream:
“Look back, to slavery, to suffrage, to integration and one thing is clear. Fashions in bigotry come and go. The right thing lasts.”
—Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)
“At times it seems that the media have become the mainstream culture in children’s lives. Parents have become the alternative. Americans once expected parents to raise their children in accordance with the dominant cultural messages. Today they are expected to raise their children in opposition to it.”
—Ellen Goodman (20th century)