More to secondary schools than cut-off point: Minister Heng

SINGAPORE — Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat has said parents should consider other factors apart from a school’s previous year cut-off point (COP) when helping their P6 children decide on which secondary school to choose.

Writing on his Facebook page, Mr Heng said it would be good for parents to have an open talk with their children to know what type of secondary school they are interested in.

The school should be able to help them thrive, learn and grow, not just academically but holistically.

Mr Heng said some parents choose a school based on the previous year’s COP in the belief that the higher the COP, the more competitive the school is, the better it is.

He said that several parents have told him that they felt that the higher the COP, the more likely their children can get As in the exams.

Mr Heng, however, noted that how well a child does in school depends on how motivated he is.

So he encourages parents to carefully consider the kind of environment that will best motivate their children, and enable them to develop themselves fully in the next four to five years.

Some children, he said, are late developers and the right environment helps them thrive.

Mr Heng urged parents to think of how best they can help their children develop confidence and enjoy the space to discover his talents and passions.

Besides the school environment, Mr Heng said another factor is whether their children are interested in a school’s programmes and niches offered.

Distance from home to school is another factor to consider.

He urged parents to consider a school that is reasonably close to their homes so that their children need not spend too much time travelling, and they can have more family time together.

As for those who will not be progressing to secondary school, Mr Heng said they should not feel discouraged.

He said they could try their PSLE again or enrol at Assumption Pathway School or NorthLight School, stressing that both are very good schools that have made a big impact on its students.

The PSLE results were released on Friday.

Eligible students have till November 28 to submit their Secondary One Option forms. The Secondary One posting results will be posted on December 20. CHANNEL NEWSASIA