Every year the season for SEA debates commences just as the sun shines down on the "summer" vacation. And featuring prominently in said debates is the issue of the so called prestige schools. Some wondering if there is such a thing, others suggesting that we do away with such, then others talking about how unfair it is and blah blah blah. I’ve heard rumors of how persons are selected, based on class, wealth, position in society etc. But I always wonder, which parent won’t want the “best” for their kid?
A simple point, I wonder if anyone ever thought about the possibility of having one of those persons placed in those "prestige" schools, transferred to the non-prestige school, what might be the result? You take one of those kids, who surely would have come from a home where the parents are VERY involved in their education, I wonder what would be the result, if that child will continue to do well? I would imagine they will definitely do well.
Regarding the prestige school and addressing those who condemn it, I wonder why they have issues with them. Which parent would not want the best for their children, the best environment, the best teachers and equally important, the best students and by extension, parents of those best students. Which parent won't want such environment for their kids. Ok ok ok, there are actually some parents who really don't give a crap.
It is my strong opinion that the difference between those prestige and non prestige schools are the parents who raise the kids to be sent off to those schools. Those parents who don't pay nearly the required attention to their children's school life as they should. On a paper “Prestige Schools, Myth or Reality”, Raymond S. Hackett suggests:
If there is a difference between denominational schools and government schools, then this will have to be in the culture of these schools and perhaps the support they may have from parents and other well-intentioned stakeholders. Certainly it cannot be that denominational teachers are more effective than government teachers. My 2002 study of schools in the East-West Corridor (Toco to Diego Martin) revealed no significant difference in teacher performance.
I have heard all sorts of arguments regarding how students are “selected” to attend the “prestige” schools, I wish not to dismiss those arguments outright but will not at the same time dwell on them as I am firm in my belief that a child’s “success” at SEA depend to a great deal, on his or her support structure away from the school environment which is key to any child’s performance at school. With the right support at home, the child can adapt to and be able to deal with the many challenges at school. Therefore, as stated above, if a child from one of the “prestige schools” were to be placed in a non prestige school, I believe that that child will in fact do well.
But I imagine, the prestige debates will continue for some time. Maybe at some point, reality will hit home and more and more parents will accept their responsibilities and ensure that their kids become “Prestige Kids” and the schools would be the ones vying to have those kids attend their schools.
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