Time to move :)

Peace be to all...

Alhamdulillah - congrats to all who had successfully passed the PSLE. For those who did not do so well - insya'Allah u r in for a greater cause than just doing well in PSLE.

I feel compel in sharing about what I had been through last year when MOE decided not to reveal the highest score so that parents will choose schools according to their child's ability and not relying on aggregate score. Good intention but it had somewhat brought the kind of disarray to most parents especially me because I felt that I can somehow estimate which school my child can qualify to by using the highest aggregate score.

Last year, eventhough my son's results looked impressive in terms of the grades given, his aggregate score was below the cut-off points of the school of his choice. However, when I learnt the highest score for 2013 was 275 (it was not publicly revealed), I knew he had the chance of getting into the school he wanted. So we decided to just apply and arrange the schools he had chosen in order of aggregate score from highest to lowest. He will eventually get into school that fit his aggregate score, insya'Allah.

We hoped and prayed that he will get what he aimed for. Apart from being "tawakal" - the logic was due to the fact that in 2013 the cut-off indicated for a certain school was 269 and the highest aggregate score that it was based on (in 2012) was 285. If in 2013 the highest aggregate score was 275 then a child with 259 probably have a chance of getting into that school. 

As many of u might have known MOE has been playing down the aggregate score bcos they are probably going to get rid of it in a few years time and just use the Grades system and use a system that is the like O Level or whatever. So if your child's aggregate score is a few points less than the cut-off points just arrange all the schools that he/she wants in order of last's year aggregate cut-off points. 

No harm trying- because the computer will select accordingly to your child's aggregate score anyway.Only then u will know if he/she qualify or not. If they did not get their first choice the other school will just be as good because these are among the schools they like. Please be reminded it is not a matter of life and death neither is it the end of the world - make sure the other schools they choose are the ones they don't mind going to.

Last year results was the 1st time MOE did not indicate the highest aggregate score and left most parents at lost as to which school that their children can go to.When my girls took their PSLE it was clear cut, I can clearly estimate what schools that was out of their reach. But we still chose the schools that they wanted even if it was a few points above their aggregate score. The results:

i.  One of them got her 2nd choice even though her aggregate score was 2 points below the cut-off points for that school.

ii. Two of them got their 1st choice. One of them with aggregate score that was about 4 points below the cut-off points.

iii. And the other one got her 3rd choice and she was one of the top PSLE scorers who went to that school.

My point is not to dwell on how well we make the choice in choosing a secondary school but just a reminder for us not to be so hung up on the aggregate score but chose schools (there are 6 choices) according to what your child wants even if their cut-off points is a few points higher than your child's aggregate score. 

WARNING:Make sure not all the schools have higher cut-off points than your child's aggregate score because he/she will end up not getting any of the 6 schools chosen.

The IMPORTANT part is to let your child experience the process with peace (hmmm... even though I was not good at that. ;-/ Haha but I tried). Should he/she not get the school that he/she is longing for - help and allow them to deal with the disappointment and another IMPORTANT thing is to remind them to always be in GRATITUDE for there are others who can't even go to school. What is important is all of you have to move on to the the next phase ...

May Allah Ease our Jouneys :)