7 in 10 NTU graduates secured jobs before graduation: Survey
By Loh Chuan Junn, Channel NewsAsia Posted 25 Jul 2016 16:11 Updated 25 Jul 2016 18:36
SINGAPORE: Seven in 10 students from Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) graduating class of 2016 have secured jobs before graduation, according to a preliminary survey of more than 5,000 graduates conducted by the university in June.
The projected numbers are on par with those who graduated last year and higher than the cohort the year before, where about two in three landed a job before graduation.
One engineering graduate from the 2016 cohort, Mr A Saravanan received five job offers and currently works as a software engineering analyst at Accenture.
He said: "NTU has equipped me with a broad-based education, which has enabled me to approach projects with wider and better understanding. Another valuable experience was my internship at the US Air Force Academy, where I worked alongside cadets from the United States, France and Canada on programming tasks."
NTU also stated in a media release on Monday (Jul 25) that many of its students benefited from internships. Around 11 percent of those surveyed have been employed by their internship companies, and almost 18 per cent received job offers from where they interned.
More than 9,100 students will receive their Bachelor's and higher degrees across 18 convocation ceremonies from Monday till Aug 2.
The first ceremony saw the pioneer batch of graduates from three programmes - the Renaissance Engineering Programme (REP), the University Scholars Programme (USP) and the History Programme - receive their degrees. Dr Wee Cho Yaw, UOB Chairman Emeritus presided over the ceremony. Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung was also present.
The ceremony also saw NTU confer the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Engineering on Professor Sir David Payne from University of Southampton, in recognition for his significant contributions to the field of telecommunications.
Renowned Singaporean master potter and ceramicist Iskandar Jalil was also conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters for his accomplishments in pottery and his service in education.
- CNA/am
- wong chee tat :)
Showing posts with label study. Show all posts
Showing posts with label study. Show all posts
Monday, July 25, 2016
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Vivian Lee jailed six months over ‘bak kut teh’ Ramadan photo
Vivian Lee jailed six months over ‘bak kut teh’ Ramadan photo
By Ida Lim
May 27, 2016
KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Vivian Lee May Ling was today sentenced to six months in prison after she was convicted of sedition over a mock greeting featuring the “bak kut teh” pork dish during the Muslim fasting month.
Sessions Court judge Abdul Rashid Daud said the matter involved the sensitivities of the Muslim community, and that he was imposing the prison term to deter others from doing the same.
“You know that pork is haram (forbidden) for Muslims.
“Like what the prosecutor said, nasi sudah jadi bubur, even if there was apology, but your actions have injured the feelings of Malaysians,” he said, using the Malay idiom that means “too late to make reparations”.
The judge said the six-month jail term, less the eight days Lee spent in lock-up from July 18 to July 25, 2013, was meted out as this was her first offence.
First-time convictions for sedition are punishable with a maximum RM5,000 fine or a maximum three-year jail term or both.
Immediately after the conviction today, lead counsel Chong Joo Tian sought a good behaviour bond for Lee, noting that the 27-year-old customer support services representative has no criminal record and had started a new life without the ex-boyfriend who was jointly accused over the same mock greeting on Facebook.
Chong also highlighted that she was not the main offender and merely played a passive role over the July 11, 2013 Facebook photo, adding that she had apologised on Facebook and removed the greeting the same day as well as apologised in a YouTube video the next day.
“This shows the accused’s regret in this case. Even though in this case there was evidence of public anger towards the posting, but the evidence shows there was no chaos at all or fights between races or people of different religions,” he argued.
Chong also pointed out that his client had not acted violently or caused physical injury to others, arguing that this was merely a case over an abuse of the constitutional right of freedom of expression and the wrong use of words.
But deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin pressed for a jail sentence of between 20 and 24 months, arguing that there was a need for a “chilling effect” to deter other would-be offenders from mocking the religious beliefs of others in Malaysia.
Wan Shaharuddin cited public interest and argued that Lee’s actions had injured the feelings of both Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia, noting that online comments from many in the Chinese community showed they were upset as well.
“All Malaysians have the responsibility to respect the race and religion of others because it is appropriate social behaviour. It is not the prosecution’s intention to restrict Malaysians in the use of social media or Internet but there needs to be a standard to control an individual to be more responsible when uploading anything on social media,” he said.
He also said the offence was serious and argued the sentencing trend in the Malaysian courts was to impose imprisonment for sedition convictions, citing among others Sabah politician David Orok’s 18-month jail term after he pleaded guilty to a seditious insult of Prophet Muhammad.
“The court will be considered to have failed if it imposed a sentence based on compassion and sympathy on the accused,” he had argued.
After the sentencing, Abdul Rashid allowed the jail sentence to be stayed pending Lee’s appeal to the High Court, but increased the bail from RM10,000 to RM20,000 and ruled that her passport remain in the court’s possession.
Wan Shaharuddin told reporters later that he will also file an appeal to seek for a harsher sentence to be imposed.
The picture of Lee together with then boyfriend Alvin Tan Jye Yee, which was posted on Facebook on July 11, 2013 during the Muslim fasting month then, carried the words “Selamat Berbuka Puasa (with Bak Kut Teh...fragrant, delicious and appetising)” and the halal logo.
On July 18, 2013, Tan and Lee were charged under three laws: Section 5(1) of the Film Censorship Act, Section 4(1)(centre) of the Sedition Act and Section 298A(1) of the Penal Code.
But the Sessions Court had on April 14 acquitted Lee over the display of pornographic images on the duo’s now-defunct blog between July 6 and 7, 2013, while Tan — who did not attend trial — was given a discharge not amounting to acquittal.
The Court of Appeal had previously dropped the charge of Section 298A(1) against the duo as it ruled the legal provision did not apply to non-Muslims.
Under the Section 298A(1) charge, the duo were accused of uploading content that could possibly stir hostility among those with different beliefs between July 11 and 12.
Tan jumped bail and is believed to have fled to the United States to avoid facing trial.
- wong chee tat :)
By Ida Lim
May 27, 2016
KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Vivian Lee May Ling was today sentenced to six months in prison after she was convicted of sedition over a mock greeting featuring the “bak kut teh” pork dish during the Muslim fasting month.
Sessions Court judge Abdul Rashid Daud said the matter involved the sensitivities of the Muslim community, and that he was imposing the prison term to deter others from doing the same.
“You know that pork is haram (forbidden) for Muslims.
“Like what the prosecutor said, nasi sudah jadi bubur, even if there was apology, but your actions have injured the feelings of Malaysians,” he said, using the Malay idiom that means “too late to make reparations”.
The judge said the six-month jail term, less the eight days Lee spent in lock-up from July 18 to July 25, 2013, was meted out as this was her first offence.
First-time convictions for sedition are punishable with a maximum RM5,000 fine or a maximum three-year jail term or both.
Immediately after the conviction today, lead counsel Chong Joo Tian sought a good behaviour bond for Lee, noting that the 27-year-old customer support services representative has no criminal record and had started a new life without the ex-boyfriend who was jointly accused over the same mock greeting on Facebook.
Chong also highlighted that she was not the main offender and merely played a passive role over the July 11, 2013 Facebook photo, adding that she had apologised on Facebook and removed the greeting the same day as well as apologised in a YouTube video the next day.
“This shows the accused’s regret in this case. Even though in this case there was evidence of public anger towards the posting, but the evidence shows there was no chaos at all or fights between races or people of different religions,” he argued.
Chong also pointed out that his client had not acted violently or caused physical injury to others, arguing that this was merely a case over an abuse of the constitutional right of freedom of expression and the wrong use of words.
But deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin pressed for a jail sentence of between 20 and 24 months, arguing that there was a need for a “chilling effect” to deter other would-be offenders from mocking the religious beliefs of others in Malaysia.
Wan Shaharuddin cited public interest and argued that Lee’s actions had injured the feelings of both Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia, noting that online comments from many in the Chinese community showed they were upset as well.
“All Malaysians have the responsibility to respect the race and religion of others because it is appropriate social behaviour. It is not the prosecution’s intention to restrict Malaysians in the use of social media or Internet but there needs to be a standard to control an individual to be more responsible when uploading anything on social media,” he said.
He also said the offence was serious and argued the sentencing trend in the Malaysian courts was to impose imprisonment for sedition convictions, citing among others Sabah politician David Orok’s 18-month jail term after he pleaded guilty to a seditious insult of Prophet Muhammad.
“The court will be considered to have failed if it imposed a sentence based on compassion and sympathy on the accused,” he had argued.
After the sentencing, Abdul Rashid allowed the jail sentence to be stayed pending Lee’s appeal to the High Court, but increased the bail from RM10,000 to RM20,000 and ruled that her passport remain in the court’s possession.
Wan Shaharuddin told reporters later that he will also file an appeal to seek for a harsher sentence to be imposed.
The picture of Lee together with then boyfriend Alvin Tan Jye Yee, which was posted on Facebook on July 11, 2013 during the Muslim fasting month then, carried the words “Selamat Berbuka Puasa (with Bak Kut Teh...fragrant, delicious and appetising)” and the halal logo.
On July 18, 2013, Tan and Lee were charged under three laws: Section 5(1) of the Film Censorship Act, Section 4(1)(centre) of the Sedition Act and Section 298A(1) of the Penal Code.
But the Sessions Court had on April 14 acquitted Lee over the display of pornographic images on the duo’s now-defunct blog between July 6 and 7, 2013, while Tan — who did not attend trial — was given a discharge not amounting to acquittal.
The Court of Appeal had previously dropped the charge of Section 298A(1) against the duo as it ruled the legal provision did not apply to non-Muslims.
Under the Section 298A(1) charge, the duo were accused of uploading content that could possibly stir hostility among those with different beliefs between July 11 and 12.
Tan jumped bail and is believed to have fled to the United States to avoid facing trial.
- wong chee tat :)
Thursday, December 19, 2013
72.8% of Normal (Academic) students get to move on to Sec 5
72.8% of Normal (Academic) students get to move on to Sec 5
By Sharon See
POSTED: 19 Dec 2013 16:05
UPDATED: 19 Dec 2013 21:28
The Singapore-Cambridge GCE N-Level (or Normal Level) results were out on Thursday. Nearly three quarters, or 72.8 per cent, of the 12,419 Normal (Academic) students who took the N-Level examination this year will move on to Secondary 5.
SINGAPORE: The Singapore-Cambridge GCE N-Level (or Normal Level) results were out on Thursday.
Nearly three quarters, or 72.8 per cent, of the 12,419 Normal (Academic) students who took the N-Level examination this year will move on to Secondary 5.
And more than 99 per cent of them will be awarded the Normal (Academic) Level certificate.
In all, 17,929 students took the N-Level examination this year, with a third from the Normal (Technical) stream.
And 98 per cent of these students will get their certificate.
At Hillgrove Secondary, Nicholas Chua is one of the top N-Level students of his cohort.
But he was not always hardworking, especially in his lower secondary years.
That changed when he found a dream he wanted to pursue.
Nicholas said: “I was quite playful back then -- I didn't see the importance of studying. I was often distracted by my friends… to go out with them and all.
“The turning point probably (came) in Secondary 3, when the school introduced us to many various careers and the different courses in polytechnic. And when I found a particular interest, which was engineering, I set a target for myself to work hard for that. It gave me a clearer direction to what I want to be in the future.”
With an aggregate score of eight points, Nicholas is hoping to apply for the Polytechnic Foundation Programme, which allows him to skip Secondary 5.
The best possible score is five points, which takes into account a student's grades in English, Mathematics and best three subjects.
Abdul Haziq Abdul Hafiz could have gone to the Express stream with his results, but he chose the Normal (Academic) stream as he wanted to give himself more time to learn.
Tragedy struck the Temasek Secondary School student when he was in Secondary 1, as he suddenly lost his father, the breadwinner of the family.
But Abdul Haziq did not let his grief get him down.
Instead, he worked hard and even took up leadership positions in his co-curricular activities.
And he credits his good results to support from his mother.
Abdul Haziq said: "It has to be my mum. She has been there for me the whole time since my father left. I know she's really sad about what happened -- I don't know how sad she really feels -- but no matter what, she still supports me."
Reshma Nambiar from Yio Chu Kang Secondary said her mother did not let her go out with her friends for almost the entire year, so that she could concentrate on her studies.
In retrospect, she is glad she listened to her mother.
Reshma said: “I have some friends, they can go out, but they would still do very well, but I'm not that type of person. I have to actually sit down and study, and I think my mum knows that about me, so a lot of times, throughout the whole year, she didn't allow me to go out with my friends, or she just made me stay at home and just study and study.
“I got very angry. I was very upset because why can all my friends have fun, and… I can’t? But I think in the end, it really paid off and I'm very grateful to my parents for doing that.”
After the N-Level examinations, students have a range of choices on where to go next.
Most will go on to Secondary 5 to do the O-Level examinations, while some may choose to do a year at ITE before moving on to polytechnic.
The best of the cohort -- those with an aggregate score of 11 and below -- may gain direct entry into polytechnic.
This year, the five polytechnics are offering 1,200 places in total.
- CNA/gn
- wong chee tat :)
By Sharon See
POSTED: 19 Dec 2013 16:05
UPDATED: 19 Dec 2013 21:28
The Singapore-Cambridge GCE N-Level (or Normal Level) results were out on Thursday. Nearly three quarters, or 72.8 per cent, of the 12,419 Normal (Academic) students who took the N-Level examination this year will move on to Secondary 5.
SINGAPORE: The Singapore-Cambridge GCE N-Level (or Normal Level) results were out on Thursday.
Nearly three quarters, or 72.8 per cent, of the 12,419 Normal (Academic) students who took the N-Level examination this year will move on to Secondary 5.
And more than 99 per cent of them will be awarded the Normal (Academic) Level certificate.
In all, 17,929 students took the N-Level examination this year, with a third from the Normal (Technical) stream.
And 98 per cent of these students will get their certificate.
At Hillgrove Secondary, Nicholas Chua is one of the top N-Level students of his cohort.
But he was not always hardworking, especially in his lower secondary years.
That changed when he found a dream he wanted to pursue.
Nicholas said: “I was quite playful back then -- I didn't see the importance of studying. I was often distracted by my friends… to go out with them and all.
“The turning point probably (came) in Secondary 3, when the school introduced us to many various careers and the different courses in polytechnic. And when I found a particular interest, which was engineering, I set a target for myself to work hard for that. It gave me a clearer direction to what I want to be in the future.”
With an aggregate score of eight points, Nicholas is hoping to apply for the Polytechnic Foundation Programme, which allows him to skip Secondary 5.
The best possible score is five points, which takes into account a student's grades in English, Mathematics and best three subjects.
Abdul Haziq Abdul Hafiz could have gone to the Express stream with his results, but he chose the Normal (Academic) stream as he wanted to give himself more time to learn.
Tragedy struck the Temasek Secondary School student when he was in Secondary 1, as he suddenly lost his father, the breadwinner of the family.
But Abdul Haziq did not let his grief get him down.
Instead, he worked hard and even took up leadership positions in his co-curricular activities.
And he credits his good results to support from his mother.
Abdul Haziq said: "It has to be my mum. She has been there for me the whole time since my father left. I know she's really sad about what happened -- I don't know how sad she really feels -- but no matter what, she still supports me."
Reshma Nambiar from Yio Chu Kang Secondary said her mother did not let her go out with her friends for almost the entire year, so that she could concentrate on her studies.
In retrospect, she is glad she listened to her mother.
Reshma said: “I have some friends, they can go out, but they would still do very well, but I'm not that type of person. I have to actually sit down and study, and I think my mum knows that about me, so a lot of times, throughout the whole year, she didn't allow me to go out with my friends, or she just made me stay at home and just study and study.
“I got very angry. I was very upset because why can all my friends have fun, and… I can’t? But I think in the end, it really paid off and I'm very grateful to my parents for doing that.”
After the N-Level examinations, students have a range of choices on where to go next.
Most will go on to Secondary 5 to do the O-Level examinations, while some may choose to do a year at ITE before moving on to polytechnic.
The best of the cohort -- those with an aggregate score of 11 and below -- may gain direct entry into polytechnic.
This year, the five polytechnics are offering 1,200 places in total.
- CNA/gn
- wong chee tat :)
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Sec 1 posting results to be released on December 20
Sec 1 posting results to be released on December 20
POSTED: 13 Dec 2013 11:53
This year's Secondary 1 posting results will be released on December 20, 2013 at 9am.
SINGAPORE: This year's Secondary 1 posting results will be released on December 20, 2013 at 9am.
In a statement released on Friday morning, the Education Ministry said students are to report to their assigned secondary schools on December 23 at 8.30am.
Parents and students can check the school posting results by going to the student's primary school or through the ministry's S1 Internet System.
They can also find out the results through SMS text messaging if they have provided a local mobile phone number during the submission of the student's school choices.
Parents with enquiries can call the ministry's customer service centre at 6872 2220 during office hours.
- CNA/fa
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 13 Dec 2013 11:53
This year's Secondary 1 posting results will be released on December 20, 2013 at 9am.
SINGAPORE: This year's Secondary 1 posting results will be released on December 20, 2013 at 9am.
In a statement released on Friday morning, the Education Ministry said students are to report to their assigned secondary schools on December 23 at 8.30am.
Parents and students can check the school posting results by going to the student's primary school or through the ministry's S1 Internet System.
They can also find out the results through SMS text messaging if they have provided a local mobile phone number during the submission of the student's school choices.
Parents with enquiries can call the ministry's customer service centre at 6872 2220 during office hours.
- CNA/fa
- wong chee tat :)
Friday, November 22, 2013
97.5% of students pass PSLE
97.5% of students pass PSLE
By John Leong
POSTED: 22 Nov 2013 15:07
UPDATED: 22 Nov 2013 20:18
97.5 per cent of students who sat for the PSLE this year will be moving on to secondary school, marginally lower than last year's 97.6 per cent. This year is the first time MOE is not announcing the highest and lowest scores across the Primary Six cohort.
SINGAPORE: Students across Singapore received their PSLE results on Friday, and 97.5 per cent of those who sat for the PSLE this year will move on to secondary school.
That is marginally lower than last year’s 97.6 per cent.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) said a total of 43,047 Primary 6 students sat for the PSLE in 2013. Of this number, 41,974 students passed.
In this year's cohort, 66.7 per cent are eligible for the Express stream, 19.9 per cent for the Normal (Academic) and 10.9 per cent for Normal (Technical) courses.
This year is the first time the MOE is not announcing the highest and lowest scores across the Primary Six cohort. That is because it wants the focus to be on the students' holistic development.
One student who received her results on Friday is Low Sieu Xin, who had never had tuition lessons until this year.
In September last year, the Bedok Green Primary School student picked up an eye condition which makes her see colours darker than they really are.
Her studies suffered as a result, and that is why her parents signed her up for a PSLE Preparatory Course.
Her excitement on results day is obvious. And her mother has been doing her best to calm her down.
Sieu Xin, who is also the school’s head prefect, said: "I think she (my mother) knows that I'm really nervous and excited, so I think she didn't want me to dwell on things anymore, so she left me alone to do what I want to do."
Low Gek Eng, Sieu Xin's mother, said: "All along she's quite ok, her standard is all right, up to what she wants, so normally I don't really press her."
And Sieu Xin is satisfied with her scores, like many of her friends.
Meanwhile, Sieu Xin's form teacher, Mrs Hsu Seow Yun is changing schools next year.
And the student wants to pay tribute to her mentor, who helped her cope despite her eye condition.
Mrs Hsu said: "The moment I realised that one of her eyes had hindered vision, I immediately shifted her to a position to enable her to see properly in the class."
Mazel Tan, a Primary Six student in Bedok Green Primary School, said: "Sometimes, because of her (Sieu Xin’s) eyesight, she cannot see the words on the board, so I'll lend her my notes to copy."
The Low family will not be celebrating straight away, due to other commitments. But Sieu Xin is looking forward to the coming days.
When asked what she looks forward to the most, Sieu Xin said: “The outings with my friends. I think it's going to be very fun, because everybody is mainly relaxed already after the results."
Sieu Xin has already been offered a place in Temasek Junior College's Integrated Programme, thanks to her preliminary results.
This means she will skip the GCE O-Level exams and go straight to the A-Levels after six years.
Students who are eligible to progress to secondary school can select their school and submit their forms by 3pm on November 28.
The Secondary One posting results will be released on December 20.
- CNA/xq/nd
- wong chee tat :)
By John Leong
POSTED: 22 Nov 2013 15:07
UPDATED: 22 Nov 2013 20:18
97.5 per cent of students who sat for the PSLE this year will be moving on to secondary school, marginally lower than last year's 97.6 per cent. This year is the first time MOE is not announcing the highest and lowest scores across the Primary Six cohort.
SINGAPORE: Students across Singapore received their PSLE results on Friday, and 97.5 per cent of those who sat for the PSLE this year will move on to secondary school.
That is marginally lower than last year’s 97.6 per cent.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) said a total of 43,047 Primary 6 students sat for the PSLE in 2013. Of this number, 41,974 students passed.
In this year's cohort, 66.7 per cent are eligible for the Express stream, 19.9 per cent for the Normal (Academic) and 10.9 per cent for Normal (Technical) courses.
This year is the first time the MOE is not announcing the highest and lowest scores across the Primary Six cohort. That is because it wants the focus to be on the students' holistic development.
One student who received her results on Friday is Low Sieu Xin, who had never had tuition lessons until this year.
In September last year, the Bedok Green Primary School student picked up an eye condition which makes her see colours darker than they really are.
Her studies suffered as a result, and that is why her parents signed her up for a PSLE Preparatory Course.
Her excitement on results day is obvious. And her mother has been doing her best to calm her down.
Sieu Xin, who is also the school’s head prefect, said: "I think she (my mother) knows that I'm really nervous and excited, so I think she didn't want me to dwell on things anymore, so she left me alone to do what I want to do."
Low Gek Eng, Sieu Xin's mother, said: "All along she's quite ok, her standard is all right, up to what she wants, so normally I don't really press her."
And Sieu Xin is satisfied with her scores, like many of her friends.
Meanwhile, Sieu Xin's form teacher, Mrs Hsu Seow Yun is changing schools next year.
And the student wants to pay tribute to her mentor, who helped her cope despite her eye condition.
Mrs Hsu said: "The moment I realised that one of her eyes had hindered vision, I immediately shifted her to a position to enable her to see properly in the class."
Mazel Tan, a Primary Six student in Bedok Green Primary School, said: "Sometimes, because of her (Sieu Xin’s) eyesight, she cannot see the words on the board, so I'll lend her my notes to copy."
The Low family will not be celebrating straight away, due to other commitments. But Sieu Xin is looking forward to the coming days.
When asked what she looks forward to the most, Sieu Xin said: “The outings with my friends. I think it's going to be very fun, because everybody is mainly relaxed already after the results."
Sieu Xin has already been offered a place in Temasek Junior College's Integrated Programme, thanks to her preliminary results.
This means she will skip the GCE O-Level exams and go straight to the A-Levels after six years.
Students who are eligible to progress to secondary school can select their school and submit their forms by 3pm on November 28.
The Secondary One posting results will be released on December 20.
- CNA/xq/nd
- wong chee tat :)
PSLE questions crafted in way that lets students show what they've learnt
PSLE questions crafted in way that lets students show what they've learnt
POSTED: 22 Nov 2013 18:13
The more challenging questions in this year's PSLE were crafted in a way that lets students show what they have learnt while keeping the standard high, said Education Minister Heng Swee Keat.
SINGAPORE: This year's Primary Six Leaving Examinations (PSLE) had one small refinement.
The more challenging questions were crafted in a way that lets students show what they have learnt while keeping the standard high.
Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said the questions were structured to guide the student's thinking and give points for each of the steps he goes through, and not just for the final answer.
Writing in a Facebook post on Friday, Mr Heng added that the PSLE results also showed that the many programmes put in place by the ministry and schools to level up all students made a difference to many.
He said bringing everyone's focus back from chasing points to really learning is exactly what the ministry wants.
And the students themselves showed a lot of motivation to do well.
All this, he added, showed the ministry is on the right path and will continue on this path.
Mr Heng stressed that the PSLE questions are still of a high standard but the student finds them more accessible, and as he goes through the opening steps well, the student gains confidence to continue.
And even if the student does not get the right final answer, if he gets the first few parts right, the student has shown that he understands his material and gets the points for it.
Mr Heng shared the observation of exam invigilators who saw the Primary 6 students working on the questions right up to the last minute rather than give up on some.
And teachers said their students felt the papers gave them a chance to do well, and they felt confident about their learning.
Mr Heng said putting the focus on learning rather than chasing points is what the ministry wants.
He hopes parents agree that this is the right way to help children learn.
He noted that many more students did well this year, and parents should be very proud of them.
Mr Heng said he would share his thoughts on choosing a secondary school soon.
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 22 Nov 2013 18:13
The more challenging questions in this year's PSLE were crafted in a way that lets students show what they have learnt while keeping the standard high, said Education Minister Heng Swee Keat.
SINGAPORE: This year's Primary Six Leaving Examinations (PSLE) had one small refinement.
The more challenging questions were crafted in a way that lets students show what they have learnt while keeping the standard high.
Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said the questions were structured to guide the student's thinking and give points for each of the steps he goes through, and not just for the final answer.
Writing in a Facebook post on Friday, Mr Heng added that the PSLE results also showed that the many programmes put in place by the ministry and schools to level up all students made a difference to many.
He said bringing everyone's focus back from chasing points to really learning is exactly what the ministry wants.
And the students themselves showed a lot of motivation to do well.
All this, he added, showed the ministry is on the right path and will continue on this path.
Mr Heng stressed that the PSLE questions are still of a high standard but the student finds them more accessible, and as he goes through the opening steps well, the student gains confidence to continue.
And even if the student does not get the right final answer, if he gets the first few parts right, the student has shown that he understands his material and gets the points for it.
Mr Heng shared the observation of exam invigilators who saw the Primary 6 students working on the questions right up to the last minute rather than give up on some.
And teachers said their students felt the papers gave them a chance to do well, and they felt confident about their learning.
Mr Heng said putting the focus on learning rather than chasing points is what the ministry wants.
He hopes parents agree that this is the right way to help children learn.
He noted that many more students did well this year, and parents should be very proud of them.
Mr Heng said he would share his thoughts on choosing a secondary school soon.
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
Monday, October 28, 2013
Singapore to hold first regional education expo in November
Singapore to hold first regional education expo in November
Published on Oct 28, 2013
9:13 PM
By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh
Singapore will hold the first AsiaEducationExpo 2013 (AEX2013), which will showcase the latest education technologies and methodologies, and allow educators and policymakers from the region to network and exchange ideas.
The expo will be held from Nov 20 to 22 at the Singapore Expo Hall 2, in collaboration with Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation Regional Language Centre.
Sphere Exhibits - the events, roadshows and exhibitions arm of Singapore Press Holdings - announced the event on Monday.
The expo will showcase new ways of instruction and best practices that encourage and motivate learning. It will also highlight new and emerging offerings from educational and instructional technology providers, such as alternative platforms that can be used for learning, among other things.
- wong chee tat :)
Published on Oct 28, 2013
9:13 PM
By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh
Singapore will hold the first AsiaEducationExpo 2013 (AEX2013), which will showcase the latest education technologies and methodologies, and allow educators and policymakers from the region to network and exchange ideas.
The expo will be held from Nov 20 to 22 at the Singapore Expo Hall 2, in collaboration with Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation Regional Language Centre.
Sphere Exhibits - the events, roadshows and exhibitions arm of Singapore Press Holdings - announced the event on Monday.
The expo will showcase new ways of instruction and best practices that encourage and motivate learning. It will also highlight new and emerging offerings from educational and instructional technology providers, such as alternative platforms that can be used for learning, among other things.
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Phase 2B of P1 registration opens
Phase 2B of P1 registration opens
POSTED: 22 Jul 2013 8:29 PM
Phase 2B of the Primary 1 registration opened on Monday. The phase is for children whose parents are endorsed church or clan members, community leaders or school volunteers.
SINGAPORE: Phase 2B of the Primary 1 registration opened on Monday. The phase is for children whose parents are endorsed church or clan members, community leaders or school volunteers.
While 'volunteerism' previously conjured images of parents doing tasks like weeding or looking after children, schools say the role of parent volunteers has evolved in recent years.
And it is not only the more popular schools that are now attracting volunteers.
Mdm Diana Loh hopes to enrol her son in Concord Primary School next year, which is within one kilometre of where she lives in Choa Chu Kang.
She signed up as a parent volunteer to find out more about the school, which would also qualify her child for Phase 2B of the Primary 1 registration.
So far, she likes what she has seen.
She said: "I don't really want my child to go to a 'brand name' school and be under a lot of pressure. I want him to grow up in a healthy environment. So I thought that by being a volunteer for this school, I could come in and take a look.
"I wanted to get a more comprehensive picture of this school, so that was my motivation for volunteering."
Concord says that it tries to match parents' interest and expertise to areas in which they can contribute.
Principal Tonnine Chua said that the school also provides training for some parents if necessary.
Mdm Loh currently helps out with the school's Chinese reading programme for lower primary students.
Mrs Chua said: “In the past, parents played a more passive role of looking after the children physically. Now parents are more involved in educating and helping the school to nurture the children… beyond academics, (such as) values and character development.”
Another parent volunteer, Cheng Hui Yan, hopes to enrol her child in Rulang Primary School. Mrs Cheng lives within a kilometre of the school.
She said: “I'm in the finance line, so we offered to give the students financial literacy courses… That's probably the reason why we're being selected. It's quite a unique course that we can provide.”
As one of the more popular schools in the western part of Singapore, Rulang Primary School gets a large number of interested parents applying to be volunteers every year.
The school says it conducts an interview process for every single applicant before a panel committee, comprising school leaders and heads of department, cast their votes.
Eugene Ong, principal of Rulang Primary School, said: "Rulang has in place a transparent selection system which ensures that all parent volunteer applicants, regardless of their profession, education qualification or social background, have an equal opportunity to be selected to work with us to support our school's holistic education efforts."
The school says one important quality it looks out for is an applicant's sincerity in working with the school.
The school took in fewer than 10 volunteers last year as a way to manage parents' expectations, as not all children whose parent volunteers are guaranteed a place in the school.
Rulang has 30 places left for Phase 2B, and balloting may occur if there are more applicants than vacancies.
- CNA/jc
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 22 Jul 2013 8:29 PM
Phase 2B of the Primary 1 registration opened on Monday. The phase is for children whose parents are endorsed church or clan members, community leaders or school volunteers.
SINGAPORE: Phase 2B of the Primary 1 registration opened on Monday. The phase is for children whose parents are endorsed church or clan members, community leaders or school volunteers.
While 'volunteerism' previously conjured images of parents doing tasks like weeding or looking after children, schools say the role of parent volunteers has evolved in recent years.
And it is not only the more popular schools that are now attracting volunteers.
Mdm Diana Loh hopes to enrol her son in Concord Primary School next year, which is within one kilometre of where she lives in Choa Chu Kang.
She signed up as a parent volunteer to find out more about the school, which would also qualify her child for Phase 2B of the Primary 1 registration.
So far, she likes what she has seen.
She said: "I don't really want my child to go to a 'brand name' school and be under a lot of pressure. I want him to grow up in a healthy environment. So I thought that by being a volunteer for this school, I could come in and take a look.
"I wanted to get a more comprehensive picture of this school, so that was my motivation for volunteering."
Concord says that it tries to match parents' interest and expertise to areas in which they can contribute.
Principal Tonnine Chua said that the school also provides training for some parents if necessary.
Mdm Loh currently helps out with the school's Chinese reading programme for lower primary students.
Mrs Chua said: “In the past, parents played a more passive role of looking after the children physically. Now parents are more involved in educating and helping the school to nurture the children… beyond academics, (such as) values and character development.”
Another parent volunteer, Cheng Hui Yan, hopes to enrol her child in Rulang Primary School. Mrs Cheng lives within a kilometre of the school.
She said: “I'm in the finance line, so we offered to give the students financial literacy courses… That's probably the reason why we're being selected. It's quite a unique course that we can provide.”
As one of the more popular schools in the western part of Singapore, Rulang Primary School gets a large number of interested parents applying to be volunteers every year.
The school says it conducts an interview process for every single applicant before a panel committee, comprising school leaders and heads of department, cast their votes.
Eugene Ong, principal of Rulang Primary School, said: "Rulang has in place a transparent selection system which ensures that all parent volunteer applicants, regardless of their profession, education qualification or social background, have an equal opportunity to be selected to work with us to support our school's holistic education efforts."
The school says one important quality it looks out for is an applicant's sincerity in working with the school.
The school took in fewer than 10 volunteers last year as a way to manage parents' expectations, as not all children whose parent volunteers are guaranteed a place in the school.
Rulang has 30 places left for Phase 2B, and balloting may occur if there are more applicants than vacancies.
- CNA/jc
- wong chee tat :)
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Only perfect students need apply for a place in Delhi University
Only perfect students need apply for a place in Delhi University
By Avneet Arora
POSTED: 02 Jul 2013 11:10 AM
Students applying for a place in India's prestigious Delhi University have always known it is difficult to get in, but no one expected that the qualifying grade would have to be an almost perfect score.
NEW DELHI: Gaining admission into India's top ranked Delhi University has never been easy. To even be considered for undergraduate courses, students need to score above 90 per cent for their 12th grade board exams.
This year, it has become even more difficult to get in, as the cut-off grade has reached almost 100 per cent.
It is not only the popular courses that are tough to get in -- even a newly introduced computer science course offered by one of Delhi University's lesser-known colleges has taken the competition to another level.
Rajesh, who is a parent, said: "The competition has become very tough. From the children, the pressure has come onto us also, because we know from the beginning that cut-offs are so high. And our children, even after studying so hard, aren't sure if they will get in."
Economics, commerce, English and journalism are among the most sought after courses -- only half a per cent of applicants, or at best, 10 per cent will be accepted.
However, university administrators said there is still hope for students who did not make the first cut.
Dr Gulshan Sawhney, deputy dean of students welfare at Delhi University, said: "What's happened is that there is an additional eligibility criterion -- if you are a student who did maths with computer science, then there is one cut-off. Whereas if you didn't do those subjects, there is a slightly higher cut-off.
"So there is no need for confusion on this -- if a student has 95 per cent, they are eligible for this. And if you're not on this list, I would recommend you wait till the second list comes out and it is possible you will be on that one."
The university's cut-off grade, which soared past 95 per cent for most courses this year, sparked protests in a few colleges. Student organisations are calling for changes to the admission criteria, which they said favours the rich.
Alok, a research scholar at Delhi University, said: "Most of the students in this country study in government schools. So they cannot compete with those who graduate from private schools. In a way, children of the labourers who toiled to construct this very university building are being denied admission."
With 7,000 students scoring above 95 per cent in 2013, it is hard to hold colleges responsible for the high cut-off grade. But the call to review admission criteria remains a valid one. With a curriculum that promotes rote learning and lax grading standards, it is hard to imagine a bright future for the education system if it doesn't change its approach.
- CNA/ac
- wong chee tat :)
By Avneet Arora
POSTED: 02 Jul 2013 11:10 AM
Students applying for a place in India's prestigious Delhi University have always known it is difficult to get in, but no one expected that the qualifying grade would have to be an almost perfect score.
NEW DELHI: Gaining admission into India's top ranked Delhi University has never been easy. To even be considered for undergraduate courses, students need to score above 90 per cent for their 12th grade board exams.
This year, it has become even more difficult to get in, as the cut-off grade has reached almost 100 per cent.
It is not only the popular courses that are tough to get in -- even a newly introduced computer science course offered by one of Delhi University's lesser-known colleges has taken the competition to another level.
Rajesh, who is a parent, said: "The competition has become very tough. From the children, the pressure has come onto us also, because we know from the beginning that cut-offs are so high. And our children, even after studying so hard, aren't sure if they will get in."
Economics, commerce, English and journalism are among the most sought after courses -- only half a per cent of applicants, or at best, 10 per cent will be accepted.
However, university administrators said there is still hope for students who did not make the first cut.
Dr Gulshan Sawhney, deputy dean of students welfare at Delhi University, said: "What's happened is that there is an additional eligibility criterion -- if you are a student who did maths with computer science, then there is one cut-off. Whereas if you didn't do those subjects, there is a slightly higher cut-off.
"So there is no need for confusion on this -- if a student has 95 per cent, they are eligible for this. And if you're not on this list, I would recommend you wait till the second list comes out and it is possible you will be on that one."
The university's cut-off grade, which soared past 95 per cent for most courses this year, sparked protests in a few colleges. Student organisations are calling for changes to the admission criteria, which they said favours the rich.
Alok, a research scholar at Delhi University, said: "Most of the students in this country study in government schools. So they cannot compete with those who graduate from private schools. In a way, children of the labourers who toiled to construct this very university building are being denied admission."
With 7,000 students scoring above 95 per cent in 2013, it is hard to hold colleges responsible for the high cut-off grade. But the call to review admission criteria remains a valid one. With a curriculum that promotes rote learning and lax grading standards, it is hard to imagine a bright future for the education system if it doesn't change its approach.
- CNA/ac
- wong chee tat :)
Monday, May 13, 2013
Phase 2B of P1 registration non-partisan: Indranee Rajah
Phase 2B of P1 registration non-partisan: Indranee Rajah
By Saifulbahri Ismail
POSTED: 13 May 2013 4:19 PM
Senior Minister of State for Education Indranee Rajah said the priority system for children going through Primary One registration is non-partisan.
SINGAPORE: Senior Minister of State for Education Indranee Rajah said the priority system for children going through Primary One registration is non-partisan, but based on an "objective view" of community service.
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Ms Indranee explained Phase 2B of the P1 Registration Framework is open to children whose parents are endorsed as "active community leaders".
bond
She was responding to questions from Non-Constituency MP Lina Chiam, who asked for the scrapping of the priority scheme for community leaders which she claims to be linked with the government.
Ms Indranee said only community leaders who are serving in the four grassroots committees -- the Residents' Committee, Neighbourhood Committee, Citizen's Consultative Committee, Community Club Management Committee and the Community Development Council -- get priority.
She said: "We recognise that there are many different social groups, which serve the community, but when we look at priority, we look at priority for active community leaders. And in defining active community leaders, we define eligibility based on an objective view of community service.
"Grassroots leaders (GRLs) support the People's Association in its mission of community building, in support of the government of the day. That is why at the current time, only active GRLs from the four grassroots organisations and district counsellors from the Community Development Councils are eligible for consideration under Phase 2B and eligibility is based on contribution and not along party lines."
In addition, Phase 2B is also open to the children of parent volunteers and endorsed members of churches or clans that are directly connected with the school.
Ms Indranee added the commitment and support from these various stakeholders help to build stronger bonds between the school and the community.
She further clarified that not all who are involved in grassroots associations get priority.
Those who do not get priority include the People's Association's Youth Executive Committees and Women's Executive Committees.
- CNA/xq/ac
- wong chee tat :)
By Saifulbahri Ismail
POSTED: 13 May 2013 4:19 PM
Senior Minister of State for Education Indranee Rajah said the priority system for children going through Primary One registration is non-partisan.
SINGAPORE: Senior Minister of State for Education Indranee Rajah said the priority system for children going through Primary One registration is non-partisan, but based on an "objective view" of community service.
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Ms Indranee explained Phase 2B of the P1 Registration Framework is open to children whose parents are endorsed as "active community leaders".
bond
She was responding to questions from Non-Constituency MP Lina Chiam, who asked for the scrapping of the priority scheme for community leaders which she claims to be linked with the government.
Ms Indranee said only community leaders who are serving in the four grassroots committees -- the Residents' Committee, Neighbourhood Committee, Citizen's Consultative Committee, Community Club Management Committee and the Community Development Council -- get priority.
She said: "We recognise that there are many different social groups, which serve the community, but when we look at priority, we look at priority for active community leaders. And in defining active community leaders, we define eligibility based on an objective view of community service.
"Grassroots leaders (GRLs) support the People's Association in its mission of community building, in support of the government of the day. That is why at the current time, only active GRLs from the four grassroots organisations and district counsellors from the Community Development Councils are eligible for consideration under Phase 2B and eligibility is based on contribution and not along party lines."
In addition, Phase 2B is also open to the children of parent volunteers and endorsed members of churches or clans that are directly connected with the school.
Ms Indranee added the commitment and support from these various stakeholders help to build stronger bonds between the school and the community.
She further clarified that not all who are involved in grassroots associations get priority.
Those who do not get priority include the People's Association's Youth Executive Committees and Women's Executive Committees.
- CNA/xq/ac
- wong chee tat :)
China pupil has father, sister "killed over study"
China pupil has father, sister "killed over study"
POSTED: 13 May 2013 7:13 PM
A school pupil was arrested in China for hiring hitmen who killed his father and sister because of the pressure they put on him to study.
BEIJING: A school pupil was arrested in China for hiring hitmen who killed his father and sister because of the pressure they put on him to study, reports said Monday, highlighting educational stress in the country.
The teenager was detained in the central province of Henan following the death of his father Gao Tianfeng -- a senior court official -- and his 20-year-old sister, the official Xinhua news agency said, citing local police.
"According to the police interrogation of the boy, the junior hired two men that he got to know via the Internet to kill his father and elder sister, because 'they had given him too much pressure in study'," Xinhua said.
Surveillance cameras showed two men had climbed over a wall and entered the house in Zhoukou at the time of the murder early on Sunday, the report said, adding two of the three suspects allegedly involved, including Gao's son, had been held.
Police could not be reached for comment by AFP Monday.
China has long been known for its highly disciplined approach to education, and parenting methods have drawn criticism for putting too much pressure on children to pass highly-competitive exams.
- AFP/fl
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 13 May 2013 7:13 PM
A school pupil was arrested in China for hiring hitmen who killed his father and sister because of the pressure they put on him to study.
BEIJING: A school pupil was arrested in China for hiring hitmen who killed his father and sister because of the pressure they put on him to study, reports said Monday, highlighting educational stress in the country.
The teenager was detained in the central province of Henan following the death of his father Gao Tianfeng -- a senior court official -- and his 20-year-old sister, the official Xinhua news agency said, citing local police.
"According to the police interrogation of the boy, the junior hired two men that he got to know via the Internet to kill his father and elder sister, because 'they had given him too much pressure in study'," Xinhua said.
Surveillance cameras showed two men had climbed over a wall and entered the house in Zhoukou at the time of the murder early on Sunday, the report said, adding two of the three suspects allegedly involved, including Gao's son, had been held.
Police could not be reached for comment by AFP Monday.
China has long been known for its highly disciplined approach to education, and parenting methods have drawn criticism for putting too much pressure on children to pass highly-competitive exams.
- AFP/fl
- wong chee tat :)
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Another NUS scholar linked to sex video
Another NUS scholar linked to sex video
Another National University of Singapore (NUS) student is being linked to what could potentially be an online sex scandal.
A reader alerted The New Paper to a video of a naked man, believed to be a scholar, masturbating and speaking to the camera.
The 14-minute video, which does not contain sound, also shows him measuring his penis with a ruler. It has watermarked text stating his name, e-mail and scholarship organisation, the Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF).
Responding to TNP’s queries, spokesmen for NUS and SNCF said the student has denied being the person in the video and that he had made a police report in June last year.
- wong chee tat :)
Friday, November 23, 2012
More PSLE students qualify for secondary schools
More PSLE students qualify for secondary schools
By Sharon See | Posted: 22 November 2012 1940 hrs
SINGAPORE: More students qualify for secondary schools this year as compared to last year, with 97.6 per cent obtaining a pass for the Primary School Leaving Examination.
The passing rate last year was 97.4 per cent.
This is also the first time that the Ministry of Education is not naming the top scorers in the national examination... in a break from its practice of many years.
At Nanyang Primary School, a sense of anticipation fills the air.
The school has done exceptionally well this year, with 45 students obtaining aggregate scores above 270, and a 100 per cent pass in English Language.
Among them was Shermaine Ang who obtained 275 points, and done so without any tuition.
Beyond good grades, the prefect is also an all-rounder, having clinched two good character awards while balancing her time between Chinese calligraphy and guzheng (a Chinese instrument) in school.
Shermaine Ang said: "I believe that enriching myself is important as well, not only by academic, but on a holistic one. Learning extra, not just to do well and succeed in life but more about learning about the culture, learning about other things, learn about how we can do many things besides studying. Studying's important too, but having other activities also helps you relax, relieve stress as well."
Seng Kang Primary School has also reported an improvement in the number of students who have obtained 250 points and above.
Naturally inquisitive Lee Xuan Jin credits the supportive environment in his school for helping him achieve 274 points.
He hopes to enter the Integrated Programme at Hwa Chong Institution.
Lee Xuan Jin said: "Hwa Chong Institution, it focuses more on the bilingual culture, so because I like both cultures, I would like to go to Hwa Chong, then I can expose myself to more knowledge."
Result slips show the highest aggregate score this year is 285.
And Channel NewsAsia understands that one student in Nanyang Primary is a top scorer in the PSLE.
It is the first time the MOE is not revealing the top scorer of the PSLE, and so far, reaction has been mixed. Some parents say it's a matter of time before they find out through word of mouth, while others say it does not matter to them who the top scorer is as long as their own children have done their best.
Internet forums like the one at kiasuparents.com, however, were abuzz with speculation on who the top scorer could be.
Jean Lai, a parent, said: "Actually I feel a little sad for children who have done really well because I think they should be honoured for what they have done for their good results."
Shermaine Ang added: "Personally I feel it's not a very good move because as a student, I understand how tough the competition is, and especially this year is the dragon year, so there're many more candidates taking the examination. I feel that if they release the result and tell us who the top scorer is, it's a benchmark for us, and we can do even better after this exam. It spurs our juniors on, makes them do even better.
"In recent years, the neighbourhood schools all that have got top scorers as well, so I think it's a really good motivation for the students from other schools as well, not only from my school, or other so-called brand-name schools. I don't believe there's a separation between brand-name and neighbourhood schools. I think we're all equal."
Education Minister Heng Swee Keat has said on his Facebook page the ministry's move in not naming the top scorer is "not to address stress per se, or move away from merit".
He said the PSLE is not the be-all and end-all, and there are now more avenues to recognise success.
- CNA/de
- wong chee tat :)
By Sharon See | Posted: 22 November 2012 1940 hrs
SINGAPORE: More students qualify for secondary schools this year as compared to last year, with 97.6 per cent obtaining a pass for the Primary School Leaving Examination.
The passing rate last year was 97.4 per cent.
This is also the first time that the Ministry of Education is not naming the top scorers in the national examination... in a break from its practice of many years.
At Nanyang Primary School, a sense of anticipation fills the air.
The school has done exceptionally well this year, with 45 students obtaining aggregate scores above 270, and a 100 per cent pass in English Language.
Among them was Shermaine Ang who obtained 275 points, and done so without any tuition.
Beyond good grades, the prefect is also an all-rounder, having clinched two good character awards while balancing her time between Chinese calligraphy and guzheng (a Chinese instrument) in school.
Shermaine Ang said: "I believe that enriching myself is important as well, not only by academic, but on a holistic one. Learning extra, not just to do well and succeed in life but more about learning about the culture, learning about other things, learn about how we can do many things besides studying. Studying's important too, but having other activities also helps you relax, relieve stress as well."
Seng Kang Primary School has also reported an improvement in the number of students who have obtained 250 points and above.
Naturally inquisitive Lee Xuan Jin credits the supportive environment in his school for helping him achieve 274 points.
He hopes to enter the Integrated Programme at Hwa Chong Institution.
Lee Xuan Jin said: "Hwa Chong Institution, it focuses more on the bilingual culture, so because I like both cultures, I would like to go to Hwa Chong, then I can expose myself to more knowledge."
Result slips show the highest aggregate score this year is 285.
And Channel NewsAsia understands that one student in Nanyang Primary is a top scorer in the PSLE.
It is the first time the MOE is not revealing the top scorer of the PSLE, and so far, reaction has been mixed. Some parents say it's a matter of time before they find out through word of mouth, while others say it does not matter to them who the top scorer is as long as their own children have done their best.
Internet forums like the one at kiasuparents.com, however, were abuzz with speculation on who the top scorer could be.
Jean Lai, a parent, said: "Actually I feel a little sad for children who have done really well because I think they should be honoured for what they have done for their good results."
Shermaine Ang added: "Personally I feel it's not a very good move because as a student, I understand how tough the competition is, and especially this year is the dragon year, so there're many more candidates taking the examination. I feel that if they release the result and tell us who the top scorer is, it's a benchmark for us, and we can do even better after this exam. It spurs our juniors on, makes them do even better.
"In recent years, the neighbourhood schools all that have got top scorers as well, so I think it's a really good motivation for the students from other schools as well, not only from my school, or other so-called brand-name schools. I don't believe there's a separation between brand-name and neighbourhood schools. I think we're all equal."
Education Minister Heng Swee Keat has said on his Facebook page the ministry's move in not naming the top scorer is "not to address stress per se, or move away from merit".
He said the PSLE is not the be-all and end-all, and there are now more avenues to recognise success.
- CNA/de
- wong chee tat :)
小六会考：全国及格率微升 最高分285
11/22/2012 22:00
小六会考：全国及格率微升 最高分285
小六会考成绩放榜，有97.6%的考生成功升上中学，比去年97.4%的全国及格率高，最高分数的是285分。据本台了解，南洋小学就有学生考获这个成绩。
教育部今年第一次不再公布状元名单，以鼓励学生要追求全面发展。教育部长王瑞杰在他的面簿上表示，无论孩子的成绩如何，他都希望父母给予支持和鼓励，协助他们在下一个学习阶段中成长，建立自信心和韧性，长大后才有望取得更高的成就。
与此同时，一改过去个别表扬学生的做法，成康小学则分批让优异考生集体接受全校喝彩。
成功克服逆境的考生也获表扬。来自小康家庭的李宣進，是全校最优异的学生，考获274分。热爱中华文化的他希望报读华侨中学。
“有一次就我的数学就没有拿到我所期望的那么高，我很伤心，之后也几次出现这样的情况，所以我就告诉自己要发奋图强，就一直努力下去。”这名成康小学的小状元这么告诉记者。
至于学林小学蔡慧敏，则是师长眼中的模范生，尽管家庭财务状况不理想，须接受学校经济援助，但生活的困境没有影响她的奋斗心，最终考获260分佳绩。她希望报读南洋女中。
为什么会选择这间中学，蔡慧敏表示，这是她妈妈儿时的愿望。
“我想帮她达成心愿，而且听朋友说那里的教育品德非常好。” 蔡慧敏这么表示。
- wong chee tat :)
小六会考：全国及格率微升 最高分285
小六会考成绩放榜，有97.6%的考生成功升上中学，比去年97.4%的全国及格率高，最高分数的是285分。据本台了解，南洋小学就有学生考获这个成绩。
教育部今年第一次不再公布状元名单，以鼓励学生要追求全面发展。教育部长王瑞杰在他的面簿上表示，无论孩子的成绩如何，他都希望父母给予支持和鼓励，协助他们在下一个学习阶段中成长，建立自信心和韧性，长大后才有望取得更高的成就。
与此同时，一改过去个别表扬学生的做法，成康小学则分批让优异考生集体接受全校喝彩。
成功克服逆境的考生也获表扬。来自小康家庭的李宣進，是全校最优异的学生，考获274分。热爱中华文化的他希望报读华侨中学。
“有一次就我的数学就没有拿到我所期望的那么高，我很伤心，之后也几次出现这样的情况，所以我就告诉自己要发奋图强，就一直努力下去。”这名成康小学的小状元这么告诉记者。
至于学林小学蔡慧敏，则是师长眼中的模范生，尽管家庭财务状况不理想，须接受学校经济援助，但生活的困境没有影响她的奋斗心，最终考获260分佳绩。她希望报读南洋女中。
为什么会选择这间中学，蔡慧敏表示，这是她妈妈儿时的愿望。
“我想帮她达成心愿，而且听朋友说那里的教育品德非常好。” 蔡慧敏这么表示。
- wong chee tat :)
97.6% of students pass PSLE
97.6% of students pass PSLE
Posted: 22 November 2012 1555 hrs
SINGAPORE: 97.6 percent of students who sat for this year's PSLE are eligible to progress to secondary school.
A total of 48,333 Primary 6 students sat for the PSLE this year.
47,163 of them passed the examination.
63.1% qualify for the Express course, 23.1% for the Normal (Academic) and 11.4% for the Normal (Technical) course.
There are 1,170 students (or 2.4%) who are assessed to be not yet ready for secondary school.
Students collected their PSLE results from their respective schools from noon on Thursday.
Result slips obtained by Channel NewsAsia showed that the highest aggregate score for this year's Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is 285.
Students eligible to progress to secondary school could select their school and submit their forms before 3pm on 28 November.
The Secondary One posting results will be released on 19 December.
Ahead of the release of this year's PSLE results, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said it will stop the practice of listing the top students for PSLE.
This is in line with the importance of recognising the students for their holistic development and all-round excellence.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the Primary School Leaving Examination is far from the only thing which counts.
In a posting on his Facebook page, Mr Lee said students must also develop good moral values, strong social skills, and a sense of duty to their families and nation.
He said these are not in the PSLE syllabus, but they are important to a fulfilling and productive life.
He said Singapore's education system offers many pathways and opportunities, and students should make the most of them.
They should study hard, but also make time to play and pursue their passions.
One parent MediaCorp spoke to said the move may be a good start to changing parents' mindset.
But Jean Lai, a mother whose child has just completed her PSLE, believes there's still some way to go before the desired outcome can be achieved.
She added that "probably, this is not the only way to change the mindset of parents. This is not stopping the root of the problem. Actually I feel a little sad for children who have done really well, because I think they should be honoured for what they have done for their good results."
Mrs Lai believes there are other more important ways to manage students' stress about the PSLE.
She said: "The system has to change to cater for a mindset shift in the future, especially the way we are testing children in schools. PSLE is a way to get into a good secondary school education. Probably they also have to change the (secondary school admissions system)."
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
Posted: 22 November 2012 1555 hrs
SINGAPORE: 97.6 percent of students who sat for this year's PSLE are eligible to progress to secondary school.
A total of 48,333 Primary 6 students sat for the PSLE this year.
47,163 of them passed the examination.
63.1% qualify for the Express course, 23.1% for the Normal (Academic) and 11.4% for the Normal (Technical) course.
There are 1,170 students (or 2.4%) who are assessed to be not yet ready for secondary school.
Students collected their PSLE results from their respective schools from noon on Thursday.
Result slips obtained by Channel NewsAsia showed that the highest aggregate score for this year's Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is 285.
Students eligible to progress to secondary school could select their school and submit their forms before 3pm on 28 November.
The Secondary One posting results will be released on 19 December.
Ahead of the release of this year's PSLE results, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said it will stop the practice of listing the top students for PSLE.
This is in line with the importance of recognising the students for their holistic development and all-round excellence.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the Primary School Leaving Examination is far from the only thing which counts.
In a posting on his Facebook page, Mr Lee said students must also develop good moral values, strong social skills, and a sense of duty to their families and nation.
He said these are not in the PSLE syllabus, but they are important to a fulfilling and productive life.
He said Singapore's education system offers many pathways and opportunities, and students should make the most of them.
They should study hard, but also make time to play and pursue their passions.
One parent MediaCorp spoke to said the move may be a good start to changing parents' mindset.
But Jean Lai, a mother whose child has just completed her PSLE, believes there's still some way to go before the desired outcome can be achieved.
She added that "probably, this is not the only way to change the mindset of parents. This is not stopping the root of the problem. Actually I feel a little sad for children who have done really well, because I think they should be honoured for what they have done for their good results."
Mrs Lai believes there are other more important ways to manage students' stress about the PSLE.
She said: "The system has to change to cater for a mindset shift in the future, especially the way we are testing children in schools. PSLE is a way to get into a good secondary school education. Probably they also have to change the (secondary school admissions system)."
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
Thursday, November 22, 2012
97.6% of students pass PSLE
SINGAPORE: 97.6 percent of students who sat for this year's PSLE are eligible to progress to secondary school.
A total of 48,333 Primary 6 students sat for the PSLE this year.
47,163 of them passed the examination.
63.1% qualify for the Express course, 23.1% for the Normal (Academic) and 11.4% for the Normal (Technical) course.
There are 1,170 students (or 2.4%) who are assessed to be not yet ready for secondary school.
Students collected their PSLE results from their respective schools from noon on Thursday.
Result slips obtained by Channel NewsAsia showed that the highest aggregate score for this year's Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is 285.
Students eligible to progress to secondary school could select their school and submit their forms before 3pm on 28 November.
The Secondary One posting results will be released on 19 December.
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
A total of 48,333 Primary 6 students sat for the PSLE this year.
47,163 of them passed the examination.
63.1% qualify for the Express course, 23.1% for the Normal (Academic) and 11.4% for the Normal (Technical) course.
There are 1,170 students (or 2.4%) who are assessed to be not yet ready for secondary school.
Students collected their PSLE results from their respective schools from noon on Thursday.
Result slips obtained by Channel NewsAsia showed that the highest aggregate score for this year's Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is 285.
Students eligible to progress to secondary school could select their school and submit their forms before 3pm on 28 November.
The Secondary One posting results will be released on 19 December.
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
PSLE important, but not be-all-and-end-all: Heng Swee Keat
PSLE important, but not be-all-and-end-all: Heng Swee Keat
Posted: 22 November 2012 1137 hrs
SINGAPORE: Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said his ministry's move to stop releasing information on top scorers in the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is "not to address stress per se, or move away from merit".
Writing in his Facebook page on Thursday morning, Mr Heng said: "It is not possible, nor desirable, to eliminate stress completely. Nor should we be shy about achievements."
He said there are broader considerations and he believes in the pursuit of excellence in all areas of endeavour.
He said: "We must encourage our students to apply themselves and to persevere, so that they can reach their full potential in their chosen fields. When they put in the effort, we should cheer them on. When they succeed, we should recognise and celebrate their success."
Mr Heng pointed out that there are now more avenues to recognise success, such as through the Edusave Scholarships and Edusave Merit Bursary for academic achievements, the expanded EAGLES award for CCA, leadership and community service achievements, and Edusave Character Awards for exemplary display of character.
Schools also provide various forms of recognition - through sporting events, academic Olympiads and competitions in different fields.
All these, Mr Heng said, are platforms to promote excellence.
He added that in education, it is useful to bear in mind two key points - that children need to develop at their own pace and they need to develop as a whole person.
"Pulling up the shoot to accelerate its growth or distorting growth in particular areas at the expense of holistic development will set the children back," he said.
This is why, Mr Heng said, "we are putting the emphasis on a 'student-centric, values-driven' education."
"PSLE is an important exam - but it is not the be-all-and-end-all. It marks the conclusion of one stage of the learning journey - and the road ahead is a long one," he added. "As adults, all of us will have to learn continually throughout our lives. It is not healthy to have such national focus at this stage of the journey.
"Rather, we should encourage them to persevere, to pursue learning along appropriate pathways, and help them succeed in the next phase. What matters is that our children grow up to have a love for learning, and to be life-long learners. It is a marathon, not a sprint."
He hopes parents will support and encourage their children in their next phase of learning and growth regardless of their examination results.
He concluded: "Our children will be more likely to succeed if they grow up to be confident and resilient, able to bounce back from setbacks; and be inventive and adventurous, able and willing to try and create new things. Let us celebrate their effort, continue to encourage excellence, and broaden our definitions of success."
- CNA/xq
- wong chee tat :)
Posted: 22 November 2012 1137 hrs
SINGAPORE: Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said his ministry's move to stop releasing information on top scorers in the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is "not to address stress per se, or move away from merit".
Writing in his Facebook page on Thursday morning, Mr Heng said: "It is not possible, nor desirable, to eliminate stress completely. Nor should we be shy about achievements."
He said there are broader considerations and he believes in the pursuit of excellence in all areas of endeavour.
He said: "We must encourage our students to apply themselves and to persevere, so that they can reach their full potential in their chosen fields. When they put in the effort, we should cheer them on. When they succeed, we should recognise and celebrate their success."
Mr Heng pointed out that there are now more avenues to recognise success, such as through the Edusave Scholarships and Edusave Merit Bursary for academic achievements, the expanded EAGLES award for CCA, leadership and community service achievements, and Edusave Character Awards for exemplary display of character.
Schools also provide various forms of recognition - through sporting events, academic Olympiads and competitions in different fields.
All these, Mr Heng said, are platforms to promote excellence.
He added that in education, it is useful to bear in mind two key points - that children need to develop at their own pace and they need to develop as a whole person.
"Pulling up the shoot to accelerate its growth or distorting growth in particular areas at the expense of holistic development will set the children back," he said.
This is why, Mr Heng said, "we are putting the emphasis on a 'student-centric, values-driven' education."
"PSLE is an important exam - but it is not the be-all-and-end-all. It marks the conclusion of one stage of the learning journey - and the road ahead is a long one," he added. "As adults, all of us will have to learn continually throughout our lives. It is not healthy to have such national focus at this stage of the journey.
"Rather, we should encourage them to persevere, to pursue learning along appropriate pathways, and help them succeed in the next phase. What matters is that our children grow up to have a love for learning, and to be life-long learners. It is a marathon, not a sprint."
He hopes parents will support and encourage their children in their next phase of learning and growth regardless of their examination results.
He concluded: "Our children will be more likely to succeed if they grow up to be confident and resilient, able to bounce back from setbacks; and be inventive and adventurous, able and willing to try and create new things. Let us celebrate their effort, continue to encourage excellence, and broaden our definitions of success."
- CNA/xq
- wong chee tat :)
Monday, October 22, 2012
Foreign varsities still a big draw for students
Foreign varsities still a big draw for students
By Amanda Lee, TODAY | Posted: 22 October 2012 0608 hrs
SINGAPORE: More students from Singapore have been heading to universities in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia in recent years, despite the growing plaudits for the Republic's education system and changes made to jazz up the tertiary sector here.
From 2008 to last year, the number of students from Singapore studying in the UK has grown by between 10 and 18 per cent each year.
This could be due to rising affluence coupled with smaller family sizes, the high quality of education of other countries, the strong Singapore dollar and students growing up in a globalised world, observers say.
The number of students who applied to study at a university in the US rose to 4,316 last year, from 3,039 in 2006.
Students TODAY spoke to said they chose to study abroad as they wanted a new learning experience in a different country.
Although she was offered a place in a local polytechnic after completing her O levels, Jac L chose to enrol in a university overseas.
"I was planning to go to a polytechnic, but it takes three years," said the 19-year-old.
"If I go to Australia, I would only need (to take) one year of foundation and then (I am able to) enter university.
"It is much faster and I don't have to go through the stressful and competitive education (system) in Singapore."
The second-year student at the University of New South Wales also felt that foreign universities are more internationally recognised and employers may view having "exposure" to a different environment as an asset.
Mr Kelly Koh, Director for Education at the British Council in Singapore, pointed out that the duration of studies have bearing on students' decisions.
The typical three-year undergraduate programmes with honours and the one-year master's courses in the UK "have always been an attraction" as they have impact on cost both financial and opportunity cost, he said.
"Other factors include the quality of student support, and even issues like the ease of obtaining visas and possibly post-work employment," he added. - TODAY
- wong chee tat :)
By Amanda Lee, TODAY | Posted: 22 October 2012 0608 hrs
SINGAPORE: More students from Singapore have been heading to universities in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia in recent years, despite the growing plaudits for the Republic's education system and changes made to jazz up the tertiary sector here.
From 2008 to last year, the number of students from Singapore studying in the UK has grown by between 10 and 18 per cent each year.
This could be due to rising affluence coupled with smaller family sizes, the high quality of education of other countries, the strong Singapore dollar and students growing up in a globalised world, observers say.
The number of students who applied to study at a university in the US rose to 4,316 last year, from 3,039 in 2006.
Students TODAY spoke to said they chose to study abroad as they wanted a new learning experience in a different country.
Although she was offered a place in a local polytechnic after completing her O levels, Jac L chose to enrol in a university overseas.
"I was planning to go to a polytechnic, but it takes three years," said the 19-year-old.
"If I go to Australia, I would only need (to take) one year of foundation and then (I am able to) enter university.
"It is much faster and I don't have to go through the stressful and competitive education (system) in Singapore."
The second-year student at the University of New South Wales also felt that foreign universities are more internationally recognised and employers may view having "exposure" to a different environment as an asset.
Mr Kelly Koh, Director for Education at the British Council in Singapore, pointed out that the duration of studies have bearing on students' decisions.
The typical three-year undergraduate programmes with honours and the one-year master's courses in the UK "have always been an attraction" as they have impact on cost both financial and opportunity cost, he said.
"Other factors include the quality of student support, and even issues like the ease of obtaining visas and possibly post-work employment," he added. - TODAY
- wong chee tat :)
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Asia-Pacific drives global wealth growth: study
SINGAPORE, June 12, 2010 (AFP) – Wealth in Asia-Pacific grew faster
than in other regions around the world in 2009, according to a new global study.
The region, excluding Japan, added 22 percent, or 3.1 trillion dollars, to its coffers from the end of 2007, a study conducted by US-based business advisory firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG) stated.
"That was nearly double the global rate," the report, released on Friday, said.
Latin American wealth grew second-fastest, registering a 16 percent rise.
The Asia-Pacific region's pace of wealth growth trumped North America, which had the largest global absolute increase in wealth at 4.6 trillion dollars representing a 15 percent growth.
Wealth is also tipped to to grow in Asia-Pacific at a faster rate than its global counterparts in the next four years, said BCG partner Tjun Tang.
"We expect Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan, to grow at nearly twice the global rate, raising its share of global wealth from 15 percent in 2009 to almost 20 percent in 2014," Tang, a co-author of the report, said.
Globally, wealth increased by 11.5 percent to 111.5 trillion dollars, just short of the year-end peak reached in 2007, with BCG projecting global wealth to grow at an average annual rate of nearly six percent to 2014.
North America accounted for about 40 percent of the increase in global wealth in 2009, reaching 35.1 trillion dollars last year.
The number of millionaire households worldwide also rose almost 14 percent to 11.2 million, with Asia-Pacific countries Singapore and Malaysia leading the pack, BCG said.
"Singapore saw the highest growth in millionaire households, up 35 percent, followed by 33 percent for Malaysia, 32 percent for Slovakia, and 31 percent for China," the report stated.
"In Singapore and Hong Kong, millionaire households accounted for 11.4 percent and 8.8 percent, respectively, of all households."
- wong chee tat :)
The region, excluding Japan, added 22 percent, or 3.1 trillion dollars, to its coffers from the end of 2007, a study conducted by US-based business advisory firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG) stated.
"That was nearly double the global rate," the report, released on Friday, said.
Latin American wealth grew second-fastest, registering a 16 percent rise.
The Asia-Pacific region's pace of wealth growth trumped North America, which had the largest global absolute increase in wealth at 4.6 trillion dollars representing a 15 percent growth.
Wealth is also tipped to to grow in Asia-Pacific at a faster rate than its global counterparts in the next four years, said BCG partner Tjun Tang.
"We expect Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan, to grow at nearly twice the global rate, raising its share of global wealth from 15 percent in 2009 to almost 20 percent in 2014," Tang, a co-author of the report, said.
Globally, wealth increased by 11.5 percent to 111.5 trillion dollars, just short of the year-end peak reached in 2007, with BCG projecting global wealth to grow at an average annual rate of nearly six percent to 2014.
North America accounted for about 40 percent of the increase in global wealth in 2009, reaching 35.1 trillion dollars last year.
The number of millionaire households worldwide also rose almost 14 percent to 11.2 million, with Asia-Pacific countries Singapore and Malaysia leading the pack, BCG said.
"Singapore saw the highest growth in millionaire households, up 35 percent, followed by 33 percent for Malaysia, 32 percent for Slovakia, and 31 percent for China," the report stated.
"In Singapore and Hong Kong, millionaire households accounted for 11.4 percent and 8.8 percent, respectively, of all households."
- wong chee tat :)
Friday, July 10, 2009
Women longing for a baby advised to opt for ugly men
Women longing for a baby advised to opt for ugly men
Handsome men who are lucky in love may not be the best bet as a mate for women hoping to get pregnant, researchers have said.
Published: 7:00AM BST 10 Jul 2009
Uglier men with fewer notches on their belts are likely to be more productive between the sheets, it is claimed.
Research suggests that in many species, the most desirable males restrict their "sperm load" with each mating to ensure enough to go around.
The same could be true of humans and other primates, say scientists.
If they are right, women looking for the best chance of getting pregnant might be advised to avoid handsome lotharios.
The theory proposes that males have evolved to look for the optimum "sperm load" per mating.
This varies depending on how many available females there are to mate with, and what the chances of mating with them are.
Males with the opportunity to mate with a lot of females would be likely to produce less sperm on each occasion than those making fewer sexual conquests.
A smaller "sperm load" reduces the chances of any individual female getting pregnant. However, this is outweighed by the fact that many different females can be impregnated.
Such a trade-off is seen in the wild and has been observed in chickens and fish.
Researchers modelled the concept of "spreading sperm" mathematically in a paper to be published in the journal American Naturalist.
One member of the team, PhD student Sam Tazzyman, from the Centre for Mathematics and Physics in the Life sciences and Experimental biology (CoMPLEX) at University College London, said: "In some species, females mate with many different males. Each male's sperm competes with that of other males in a process known as 'sperm competition'. Since males have finite resources to allocate to breeding, they allocate them carefully to each mating to maximise their number of offspring.
"If a male puts a lot of resources into each mating he will get more offspring per mating, but at the expense of fewer matings. If, on the other hand, a male puts few resources into each mating he will secure less paternity per mating, but will be able to carry out more matings overall. Thus, there is a trade-off between number of matings and success per mating.
"How a male negotiates this trade-off depends on how easy he finds it to attract females. The more attractive a male is, the more females will be willing to mate with him, reducing the value of each mating to him. This means it is optimal for him to contribute fewer sperm per mating. Although this reduces fertility per mating, it maximises the number of offspring he sires overall. Less attractive males secure fewer matings but value each of them more highly, and by allocating more sperm to each mating make the most of their meagre opportunities.
"This leads to the rather paradoxical prediction that matings with attractive males may be less fertile than those with unattractive males."
Whether or not the same principle applied to humans and other primates was still unknown, said the researchers – but there every possibility that it did.
"Human attractiveness is complicated and influenced by a number of factors, including cultural preferences," said Mr Tazzyman.
"Nonetheless, ejaculate size and sperm quality are likely to have been moulded by similar forces, like attractiveness and the number of sexual partners, that are important in other species."
- wong chee tat :)
Handsome men who are lucky in love may not be the best bet as a mate for women hoping to get pregnant, researchers have said.
Published: 7:00AM BST 10 Jul 2009
Uglier men with fewer notches on their belts are likely to be more productive between the sheets, it is claimed.
Research suggests that in many species, the most desirable males restrict their "sperm load" with each mating to ensure enough to go around.
The same could be true of humans and other primates, say scientists.
If they are right, women looking for the best chance of getting pregnant might be advised to avoid handsome lotharios.
The theory proposes that males have evolved to look for the optimum "sperm load" per mating.
This varies depending on how many available females there are to mate with, and what the chances of mating with them are.
Males with the opportunity to mate with a lot of females would be likely to produce less sperm on each occasion than those making fewer sexual conquests.
A smaller "sperm load" reduces the chances of any individual female getting pregnant. However, this is outweighed by the fact that many different females can be impregnated.
Such a trade-off is seen in the wild and has been observed in chickens and fish.
Researchers modelled the concept of "spreading sperm" mathematically in a paper to be published in the journal American Naturalist.
One member of the team, PhD student Sam Tazzyman, from the Centre for Mathematics and Physics in the Life sciences and Experimental biology (CoMPLEX) at University College London, said: "In some species, females mate with many different males. Each male's sperm competes with that of other males in a process known as 'sperm competition'. Since males have finite resources to allocate to breeding, they allocate them carefully to each mating to maximise their number of offspring.
"If a male puts a lot of resources into each mating he will get more offspring per mating, but at the expense of fewer matings. If, on the other hand, a male puts few resources into each mating he will secure less paternity per mating, but will be able to carry out more matings overall. Thus, there is a trade-off between number of matings and success per mating.
"How a male negotiates this trade-off depends on how easy he finds it to attract females. The more attractive a male is, the more females will be willing to mate with him, reducing the value of each mating to him. This means it is optimal for him to contribute fewer sperm per mating. Although this reduces fertility per mating, it maximises the number of offspring he sires overall. Less attractive males secure fewer matings but value each of them more highly, and by allocating more sperm to each mating make the most of their meagre opportunities.
"This leads to the rather paradoxical prediction that matings with attractive males may be less fertile than those with unattractive males."
Whether or not the same principle applied to humans and other primates was still unknown, said the researchers – but there every possibility that it did.
"Human attractiveness is complicated and influenced by a number of factors, including cultural preferences," said Mr Tazzyman.
"Nonetheless, ejaculate size and sperm quality are likely to have been moulded by similar forces, like attractiveness and the number of sexual partners, that are important in other species."
- wong chee tat :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)