Identification and Training of Gifted Students

Mr Yee Jenn Jong asked the Minister for Education (a) how does the Ministry define children as exceptionally gifted; (b) how are these children identified and handled; (c) how many of such children have been identified in the past 10 years; and (d) of those who have been identified, how many stayed in Singapore until they completed their university education.

Ms Sim Ann (for the Minister for Education): Sir, children who are deemed exceptionally gifted have to meet a set of stringent criteria, which are based on international best practice. These include a psychological report, achievement and aptitude (typically manifested in terms of above-level test scores; in other words, test scores which are well above those of children of the same age), samples of the child's work, and teachers' recommendations. In addition, to determine the social emotional readiness of the child, data from interviews with the parents, and classroom observations will be taken into consideration.

Parents and teachers would typically observe that a child could exhibit exceptional giftedness. The identification is confirmed after specialists have assessed the child on a variety of criteria, as mentioned above. To support the exceptionally gifted child, officers in MOE work with the school and parents to draw up a learning plan for the child.

Since 2000, fewer than 20 students have been identified as being exceptionally gifted. The oldest one is enrolled in the National University of Singapore.

Mr Yee Jenn Jong: I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the answer. I have two supplementary questions. One, there are some highly gifted students who are sometimes twice exceptional. They are exceptionally gifted, but they may also present exceptional behavioural issues that may lead them to be diagnosed as having special needs. How does MOE handle cases such as these? For example, whether the teachers are equipped to handle such students and if the teachers will feel that they are disrupting the classes, be it whether they are in mainstream or "gifted schools".

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Secondly, how ready are our tertiary institutions in partnering MOE to help those who are exceptionally gifted, as some of these children may be so gifted that they can handle university curriculum even at the upper primary level? Do our tertiary institutions take in young students way before the university age, or do such students have to go overseas for their education if they cannot find anything that could be customised to their needs?

Ms Sim Ann: I thank Mr Yee Jenn Jong for his supplementary questions. First, he asked about students who may both be exceptionally gifted and yet at the same time exhibit some special needs. Sir, when we are talking about exceptionally gifted students, we are really speaking about a very small group. If these students also have special needs, the first thing to determine is whether or not the special needs of this particular student will allow him or her to undergo education in a mainstream setting. If the special needs are such that the student cannot be adequately cared for or looked after in a mainstream setting, then special provisions will have to be made. So, it really depends on the nature of the special needs that the student may have.

Second, he asked how ready are our tertiary institutions in accepting or taking in students who are identified to be exceptionally gifted. I am glad to inform Mr Yee that MOE headquarters does work quite closely with our tertiary institutions and universities when it comes to progressing these very few students who have been identified as being exceptionally gifted, and the universities work with us in determining whether or not the student is ready to enter the university, even though at a younger age.

Mr Yee Jenn Jong: I have further clarifications. Firstly, at what age is the youngest that our universities would allow the exceptionally gifted students to be enrolled? Secondly, of the 20 or so that have been identified in the last 10 years, how many of them actually stayed in Singapore and how many of them had to go overseas for their education?

Ms Sim Ann: Sir, when we are talking about exceptionally gifted students, we are really talking about very small numbers, each of whom may have very unique circumstances. So, I do not think that there is a hard number or an age below which our universities would not consider. This would depend on many factors. It goes beyond the intellectual ability of the student but also in terms of his or her social-emotional readiness and their readiness to be in a learning setting – a question of which learning setting would suit the individual best.

Coming back to the other question that Mr Yee has raised, whether there have been any exceptionally gifted students who have had to go overseas. Sir, I have mentioned just now that fewer than 20 students have been identified since 2000 as being exceptionally gifted and, out of these fewer than 20 students, one is known to have gone overseas to pursue his university education. The rest remains in Singapore. They are at various ages and they are still going through our education system. They are still in the schools and, as I have mentioned, the oldest one is already enrolled in a local university.