After Tampines JC, Another JC hiring English tutors to help FTrasg. SG Students?

[makapaaa]

[h=2]Is another JC hiring English tutors to help foreign students?[/h]

March 24th, 2013 |

Author: Editorial

Last March, a reader posted a comment on TRE highlighting that Meridian Junior College was hiring English Language tutors for its international students (‘Why is a Junior College hiring tuition teachers for foreign scholars?‘).
The reader quoted the profile of the international students:

“10 international scholars in JC1 who are currently pursuing the A-level course at Meridian Junior College”
​

The reader also quoted the “Objectives” of the hiring exercise:

“Prepare 2 students for the O-level EL Paper in Oct 2012. Improve 8 students’ ability to read and write in English to a level that enables them to cope with the General Paper syllabus.

The students will attempt short exercises on the use of English for argumentative writing, practice papers, with a greater emphasis on Paper 1 (essay) and selected sections in Paper 2 (comprehension). The primary focus will be on language accuracy (in particular, grammar, sentence structure and expression), as well as concise and clear communication of meaning.”
​

The reader asked:

1. Why are they “scholars” if they need tuition? Isn’t this discriminating against Singaporeans who got in based on GPA requirement which includes passes in both Mother Tongue Language(MTL) and English?
2. Why is MJC misusing tax payers money by paying for tuition service for these “scholars”?
3. Does MJC also accept Singapore students who fail Mandarin or any MTL and then pay for tuition for them? If not, why not?

As the reader didn’t disclose the source of his information, TRE then wrote to MJC on 20 March 2012, to confirm the hiring of English tutors for its foreign students:

Hi MJC,
We’re from TR Emeritus (www.tremeritus.com), a popular sociopolitical news blog in Singapore.
We have received a comment from one of our readers, highlighting to us that MJC is hiring tuition teachers for the foreign scholars in your school. Would like to confirm the news. If so, would you be able to answer the questions by the reader below?
Your reply will be fully published on TRE. Thank you.
(The reader’s comments were attached)
​

TRE did not hear from MJC after that. Since MJC did not refute nor reply, one can only presume that the incident is true – that MJC indeed was hiring English tutors in March last year to brush up the English of their foreign scholars.

One year has passed. Coincidentally, another reader has posted a comment highlighting that a “school” is currently calling 2 tenders to provide “English Lessons” on GeBiz, the Govt tender portal:

• Quotation: MOESCHETQ13007508, Quotation Ref: MJC 13/032 (closing date: 28 Mar)

• Quotation: MOESCHETQ13007519, Quotation Ref: MJC 13/033 (closing date: 28 Mar)

The tenders called for “Invitation to Quote For English Lessons 1 & 2″. The school is found to be none other than Meridian Junior College (MJC), as confirmed by their telephone number, 6349 3660, and fax number, 6349 3667 (http://www.mjc.edu.sg).

So, Meridian Junior College is now calling tenders to provide “English Lessons” but to whom?

Of course, one possibility could be that MJC has realised that they need to level the playing field this time and decided to provide extra English tuition for all its weak students including both Singaporeans and foreigners.

The other possibility is MJC could still be providing English tuition only for their foreign scholars but this time, they have decided to use less conspicuous descriptions and information in its tender so as to avoid controversy.

If it is the latter, MJC need not worry. They are not alone because Tampines Junior College (TPJC) is also scouting around for English tutors for its international scholars (‘JC hiring English tutors to help foreign scholars but not SG students‘).

TPJC is more open about it on GeBiz:

• Tampines Junior College: Invitation to quote for International Scholars GP tutor.
• Tampines Junior College: Invitation to quote for International Scholars GCE ‘O’ level tutor

So, do these JCs also enroll Singaporean students with an inadequate command of English and later on hire tutors to help them with the language free of charge?
.
Join our TRE facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/TREmeritus

 

[prancku]

[h=2]Is another JC hiring English tutors to help foreign students?[/h
If it is the latter, MJC need not worry. They are not alone because Tampines Junior College (TPJC) is also scouting around for English tutors for its international scholars (‘JC hiring English tutors to help foreign scholars but not SG students‘).

• Tampines Junior College: Invitation to quote for International Scholars GP tutor.
• Tampines Junior College: Invitation to quote for International Scholars GCE ‘O’ level tutor

So, do these JCs also enroll Singaporean students with an inadequate command of English and later on hire tutors to help them with the language free of charge?
.
Join our TRE facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/TREmeritus

How come so far only TPJC and MJC doing this?

Does these mean that these lesser known JCs are recruiting sub standard 'scholars' while others like NJC, TJC, etc are getting better 'scholars'? Appears that in their desperation to 'upgrade' their standards through FTrash, they are just rushing in to recruit these sub standards...

....or...was MOE the one responsible for assigning these sub standards to TPJC and MJC?...

...interesting... What do you think?

 

[laksaboy]

LOL. Needs special tutoring to pass GP. What losers these FT so-called 'scholars' are!

GP was by far my favorite subject.