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SINGAPORE : Education Minister Ng Eng Hen on Monday said the Gifted Education Programme (GEP) retains an important place in the Singapore education system.
Even mainstream students are benefiting from a similar curriculum, as more schools develop programmes for their best and brightest students.
The GEP was introduced more than 20 years ago to cater to the intellectually gifted students in Singapore.
At Da Qiao Primary School, students identified as 'high ability learners' are given different worksheets in class. These 'high ability learners' are students who did not make it past GEP tests, but who display a strong academic ability.
So for example, in an English lesson on plays, while their classmates get quite a bit of guidance, the questions posed to 'high ability learners' are much more open-ended.
Da Qiao Primary said these students have responded well to the extra stimulus. They are more articulate, confident, and are better problem-solvers.
Their exposure to poetry and class debates also lets them handle schoolwork better - they have consistently remained in the top one per cent of their cohort.
The students also go for extra classes in creative writing and independent research.
Lois Tan, English Level Head, Da Qiao Primary School, said: "These opportunities, these pupils - be it in English or Math - are given an extra push, extra stretch. That would definitely benefit them. If not, if they're just in the mainstream, that would be quite a pity."
Da Qiao Primary is not the only school that targets 'high ability learners'. It is one of six primary schools in its cluster to do so.
Its pilot programme was launched in 2007.
While these programmes are jointly developed with the Gifted Education branch of the Ministry of Education (MOE), the ministry said they are considered 'school initiatives'.
Dr Ng said: "We need to develop every child - those with special needs, those talented in sports or the arts, and those who are intellectually gifted. We should accept the inherent differences in our children's abilities."
Dr Ng was speaking at the opening of the 10th Asia-Pacific Conference on Giftedness. The four-day event, jointly organised by the MOE and the National Institute of Education, brings together 1,600 educators from Singapore and around the world.
This is the first time the biennial event is being held in Singapore. - CNA/ms
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