NorthLight
- vocational school
- students learn skills like electricity, retail, cookery, mechanical, healthcare or landscape (ITE skills)
- mathematic class à use Google Earth to find their school, then introduce concept of area and perimeter
- economics class à given real fast food menus, decide what is the best value for their money
- seems to successfully helped students who are uninterested in primary school classes
Evaluation
This is a form of alternative education available (ITE for primary school students) so that rather than spending another year in primary school (where they are likely to be interested and enthusiastic in classes), NorthLight will strengthen their skills instead.
However, we shall not forget the impact that may result from this kind of “streaming”. Isn’t such streaming too early, and shouldn’t instead these children be given extra tuition or more help in studies? Such streaming may end up in negative stereotypes. Besides, such students may not be able to compete in a highly competitive environment in Singapore, end up getting a lower-paid job and this becomes a viscous cycle.
Relevant questions:
- Does the government of your country pay enough attention to the needs of the sick and disadvantaged?
- “Education needs to reinvent itself to remain relevant.” Assess the education system in your country in the light of this statement.
- Do schools adequately prepare students for the real world?
by Christina Amanda
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