GIFTED EDUCATION PROJECT (Status report)

Mr Yeo Choo Kok asked the Minister for Education whether he will give a status report on the Gifted Education Project.

The Minister of State for Education (Dr Tay Eng Soon) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am replying on behalf of my Minister.

The Gifted Education Project (GEP) is in its fourth year of implementation with a total of 900 pupils from Primary 4 to Secondary 4.

Expansion of the Gifted Education Project has been slow in order to ensure that enough teachers can be trained for each level as the programme is expanded. The first batch which has reached Secondary 4 numbers 100 pupils. The latest intake into Primary 4 was 175 pupils.

The five schools which have gifted classes are Raffles Girls Primary School, Anglo Chinese Primary School and Rosyth Primary School, and Raffles Institution and Raffles Girls School at secondary level.

Pupils are placed in special classes for lessons but they mix with other pupils of the school through extra-curricular activities and other school functions. They have integrated well in the various schools.

The selection of pupils is carried out at two levels - at the end of Primary 3 and Primary 6. Selection is based on pupils' performance in a series of special tests. These tests are open to all pupils at Pri- mary 3 and to all pupils who have obtained 3A stars in their PSLE results.

Enrichment beyond the normal curriculum is the main approach used in the programme. The programme encourages initiative and creativity by requiring the pupils to carry out project work and to do their own research.

The pupils in the Gifted Education Project sit the same national examinations as pupils in the regular classes. The first primary school group successfully completed their PSLE last year and are now in Secondary 1. The first batch of secondary students will take their GCE '0' level this year.

Mr Yeo Choo Kok (Delta): Sir, are these five schools going to become independent schools?

Dr Tay Eng Soon: Of the five schools, Raffles Institution is the only school that has made some study and proposals on becoming an autonomous school.