最近几则关于教育的新闻

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全国机器人竞赛结束，华侨中学赢得中学高年级组冠军，将代表新加坡参加世界机器人奥林匹克赛；福华中学获得中学低年级组冠军；儒廊小学获得小学组冠军。

Hwa Chong to represent S'pore in 'Robot Olympics'
Edvantage |    Tue Sep 18 2012


                              
   
    SINGAPORE  - More than 3,000 students from 643 teams took part in this year's National Junior Robotics Championship (NJRC).
Now into its 14th edition, this year's theme was 'Robolympian' and students were tasked to create robots that would take part in 14 different sports events.

In the Primary School category, robots competed in hockey, boxing, fencing, sailing, cycling, and weightlifting.

In the Secondary School category, they competed in basketball, boxing, fencing, cycling, weightlifting, and Judo, while in the Tertiary Institutions category, they competed in wrestling, torch relay, fencing, archery, horizontal bar, diving and swimming.
After two weeks of intense challenges and knockout rounds, 60 teams of finalists battled to be crowned champions on Sept 8.
Team unt!tled from Hwa Chong Institution took the coveted top prize for the Tertiary category and they would be representing Singapore at the World Robot Olympiad 2012 to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from Nov 9 to 11.

The team also swept seven awards in other categories such as best mechanical design to best strategy, emerging as the biggest winner of NJRC 2012.

Team RPS 18 from Rulang Primary School and team Strike from Fuhua Secondary School took home the Championship for the Primary and Secondary categories.

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教育部在“剪发事件”中持强硬态度，孩子的妈妈成了“反面典型”，她感到伤心。。。


Minister... I'm not giving an excuse

                                                                                                                                                                                          

By Esther Ng
The New Paper
Tuesday, Sep 18, 2012                                                        

SINGAPORE - She was upset at first. Now she is just sad.

Sad that she was used as an example of an unreasonable parent, one who does not respect school rules.

On Wednesday, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat touched on Madam Serene Ong's filing of a police report after a teacher had cut her son's hair.

He had mentioned the incident briefly in the annual MOE Work Plan Seminar speech to 1,000 principals and educators at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Madam Ong, 39, had filed the police report on Aug 16 after her son's teacher cut his hair just as he was about to sit for his PSLE oral exam.

Said Mr Heng: "The simple fact is that the son was reminded, over and over again, to trim his hair; and when that failed, the school sent a letter to the parent.

"The mother's response was that her son was dyslexic and therefore forgetful."

Mr Heng had touched on teachers being "over anxious" in dealing with demanding parents in his speech, and hoped that parents see and "value teachers as their partners too".

Madam Ong, however, stressed that she had no issues working with her son's teachers and had put the matter behind her until it was raked up this week by the media.

"He said my son was reminded 'over and over again' to get his hair cut, but according to my son, this was not the case," Madam Ong tells The New Paper on Sunday.

"How did (the minister) know that my son was reminded over and over again? He didn't talk to us. "I wish he did, and heard my side of the story."

The senior sales executive says she sent a short e-mail to MrHeng, explaining that he had misunderstood her.

In an e-mail reply to TNP on Saturday, a Ministry of Education (MOE) spokesman said: "MOE provides schools with a set of guidelines in the management of school discipline, such as the objectives of discipline and communication of school rules.

"Within this set of guidelines, schools may formulate their own school rules based on their school context and needs, including whether or not to inform parents before disciplinary action is taken.

"As part of discipline in schools, students are encouraged to be presentable and neat.

"In this particular instance, the student was reminded numerous times to cut his hair and when he still failed to do so, a letter was sent to the parent.

"By going to the police and to the media, and demanding an apology from the teacher, the parent would have inadvertently set a poor example for her son with regard to respect for school rules."

On Aug 16, minutes before Madam Ong's son was about to enter the venue for his PSLE oral exam, his mathematics and science teacher came up to him with a pair of scissors.

"She told me that my hair was too long and that she had to cut it. She said if she didn't cut it, my marks would be lowered," the 12-year-old from Unity Primary School told TNP on Aug 22.

The teacher then asked for his permission to cut his hair. Faced with little choice, the boy agreed.

Madam Ong stresses that she is not against school rules and that she "respects" them, but all she wanted was for the teacher to inform her that she was going to take such action.

She says: "If she had called and said that she was going to cut my son's hair, I would have said yes. I might not be happy about it, but I would have said yes because it was well-intentioned."

In an e-mail to Madam Ong on Aug 28, an MOE officer said: "We agree that it was inappropriate of (the teacher) to cut (your son's) hair just before the examination.

"The principal has advised (the teacher of) a more appropriate way of handling such cases."

In the same e-mail, MOE explained that the teacher only wanted Madam Ong's son to look neat and presentable before the exam.
The ministry also noted that the school had earlier issued a letter to Madam Ong's son to remind him to cut his hair, but he had forgotten to tell Madam Ong about the letter.

A notice dated Aug 14, was given to Madam Ong's son two days before his PSLE oral exam on Aug 16.

The boy only remembered the notice and produced the notice from his school bag when TNP visited their home seven days later.
Madam Ong's reaction was one of surprise and dismay.

"I was angry that my son did not inform me about the letter and that he could be so forgetful," she told TNP then.

She had also said that her son is dyslexic and therefore absent-minded.

This comment was picked up and mentioned by Mr Heng in his speech during the MOE Work Plan Seminar.

The minister had said: "Dyslexic people are not forgetful."

But Madam Ong maintains: "I never used my son's condition as an excuse, I was merely pointing out that he's forgetful."

Ms Cara Tan, 25, a teacher from the Dyslexia Association of Singapore who has taught Madam Ong's son for three years, told TNPS that "weak memory is one of the characteristics" of a dyslexic person.

She adds: "It depends on the severity of the condition - there's a whole spectrum from mild to severe.

"In the case of Madam Ong's son, he leans towards the severe, especially in literacy and memory. "He's 12, but his reading and spelling age is that of a nine or 10-year-old.

"One of his biggest problems is memory.

"He can't remember a number of words even though he's read them before. I realise I have to teach him how to spell it a few times."

As for making a police report, Madam Ong said she wanted to put the incident on record, but only after calling the MOE twice and being told that it would be fine to go to the police.

Madam Ong says that after the first reports were published, she and her two children - she also has a 13-year-old daughter - have been affected by comments from friends and netizens.

She says: "So you bringing this up is not good. Everything has been settled, the teacher has apologised, my son has moved on. I have no issues with my son's teachers and am happy to work with them."

The MOE e-mail to Madam Ong stated that the teacher had apologised to Madam Ong and her son.

Said an MOE spokesman then: "Every school has in place school rules and discipline management processes to help students develop self-discipline. Such rules are drawn up within the broad guidelines provided by the ministry.

"We encourage you to work with the school and help (your son) move on so that he can focus (on) his preparation for his PSLE."

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学生课本遭校方没收　丢进垃圾袋里
19/09/2012  on 新明日报      




女生在垃圾袋中找自己的课本。


校方3次提醒学生，将课本带回家，但学生屡劝不听，校方竟没收课本，放进垃圾袋里。

锦文中学的中三生上星期五（14日）纷纷上网申诉，指校方丢掉他们的课本，让他们必须在垃圾桶内翻找课本。

据悉，由于年终考试即将来临，校方要学生带课本回家复习，尤其是最后几排的座位，校方需要安装储物柜，因此特别要求学生把桌下的课本带回家。

一名中四生的家长告诉《新报》：“我女儿说，校长叫老师把教室里的课本都丢掉，课本全被放在垃圾袋里，丢进垃圾车内。”

完整报道，请翻阅19.09.2012《新明日报》。

露露XD

如果每所学校都能收到好的学生，那么每所学校就是好学校，老师和校长的心态也会变好。

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DSA有被扩大化的趋势。。。

Every school to have a niche by 2017
MOE to fund teacher training and facilities, to help build expertise

BY 2017, every school in Singapore will have a niche of its own.

To help them along, schools will get money from the Education Ministry (MOE) starting next year to train teachers, build facilities, buy equipment and run programmes to build expertise in their chosen area.

Schools can also work with external organisations and tap other sources of funding. For example, they can look for grants from arts or sports promotion agencies, or link up with tertiary institutions to do research.

The MOE will also work with schools to ensure a good spread of niche areas, it told The Straits Times yesterday when giving more details of its niche programme.

Currently, schools get MOE funding only after their niche areas have been recognised. Only 191, or about half of all schools here, have recognised niches under a programme that started in 2005.

Last week, the ministry announced that it would spend $55 million over five years to help all schools find their niche. Schools with recognised niche programmes get a three-year funding of $150,000. They have to re-apply for funding every three years.

Secondary schools are also allowed to accept up to 5 per cent of their Secondary 1 intake for the purpose of building up their niche areas. For instance, a school with rugby as its niche can take in students good in the sport even if they do not meet the academic entry requirement.

Principals welcomed the extra help from the MOE, as the process of building a niche from scratch can take three to five years.
To get recognition, schools have to demonstrate consistent excellence in their chosen fields and involve the entire school in that activity. They need to show that interest can be sustained over the long term.

Schools do not always succeed on their first try. Edgefield Primary, for instance, had two applications to get dancesport recognised as a niche turned down before finally getting approval this year.

Principal Willy Tan said this was because no other school offered a similar programme, and it had difficulty showing it could excel in competitions. It had to compete overseas, in Malaysia and Hong Kong, to demonstrate success.

Mr Mark Minjoot, principal of Greendale Secondary School, which has been trying to build its proposed niche in outdoor education over the past three years, said: "You'll need to show that your programme is not one-off, or ad hoc, and it's been building up over the last few years."
St Anthony's Canossian Primary School hopes to get the nod soon for performing arts as its niche. Principal Eugenie Tan said: "We can develop a bigger pool of performing arts teachers so that we can run most of the programme on our own without external vendors."

Despite the long process it takes to carve a niche, principals said it is worth the effort. Students get to learn a new sport or skill, while schools can use niches to mould more rounded students, inculcate values and earn a brand reputation.

Having a niche has also allowed lesser-known schools like Woodgrove Secondary to make a name for themselves, said principal Sung Mee Har. The school, with environmental education as its niche, has grabbed headlines with a string of awards, including being the first school to win the Singapore Environmental Achievement Award given out by the Singapore Environment Council.

The payoff can also come at a later stage.

Some parents feel that their children may have an advantage over others if they apply to a secondary school with the same niche programme.
While parents said a niche programme is not a major consideration when they choose schools, they admit it can be beneficial. Said housewife Chua Keng Leng, 36, whose daughter will enter Nan Chiau Primary, which has a niche in basketball, next year: "I would rather the school have a niche in drama, but maybe basketball can help her develop motor skills or just know more about how to appreciate a basketball game."

staceyc@sph.com.sg
mattchew@sph.com.sg


来源：《海峡时报》

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重新受聘退休教师 五分之一续教华文

（2012-09-21）

在现有800名重新受聘退休教师中，有五分之一是华文教师。许多人教了一辈子华文，退休后仍愿意留守岗位，接受环境的挑战，既是对华文教学的耐心，也是对下一代的爱心。而学生的敬重，是他们最大的安慰。

陈能端　报道
nengduan@sph.com.sg

　　近年来不少资深华文教师退休，加上本土华文教师供不应求，教育部必须请“外援”助阵，令一些人担心华文教师团队不再以新加坡人为核心。但其实教育部的资料显示，现有800名重新受聘的教师，每五人就有一人是华文教师，说明不少退休教师仍心系华文教育，退而不休。

　　除了重新雇用满62岁的教师，教育部还设有“代课教师”和“辅助教学（灵活工作）”计划。若加上受雇于这两项计划的人数，退休却继续献身教育事业的华文教师人数，相信会更多。

　　黎志强与吴华卿（62岁）分别在英华初级学院和德贤中学任教，两人不仅同龄，也同样是南洋大学的中文系毕业生。两人自成为教师后，就没有转过行。即便到了退休年龄，他们还是毫不犹豫地选择重新受聘，留守教学岗位。

　　英华初院一般给人“红[关键词屏蔽]”学校的印象，让人不禁觉得华文教师在那里教书，一定很“吃不消”，但黎志强却在英华初院待了足足23年。

　　黎志强受访前刚下课，学生走出课室时都会向他礼貌道谢，足以说明学生对他的敬重。

黎志强告诉记者，教学和任何工作一样都有遇到低谷的时候，但学生对教师付出的努力有所回应，总能激励教师继续前进。

　　他举例，最近一名华文程度较弱的学生在教师节卡片上，给他写下“一日为师终生为父”的祝语，这名学生华语水平的进步让他欣慰。

　　和黎志强不同，吴华卿1973年加入教师行业后，一直在东部的邻里中学执教。她在尚育中学执教时也是华乐团的负责教师，为了给学生展示才华的机会，她努力促成乐团举行公开演出。

　　让更多人看到邻里学校学生的潜质，更成为推动她继续执教鞭的原因之一。她说：“其实邻里学校的学生只要肯努力，他们在各方面的表现都可以做得很好的。”

　　谈到华文教育政策一改再改，两位教师不约而同地表示，政府出台大学入学华文科目不算分的举措，让他们最感无奈。这项政策无形中影响了学生和家长看待华文这个科目的心态，令传承华文教育的工作又遇到一层挑战。

　　黎志强说：“现在最重要的是，无论学生语文程度怎样，我们都尽力帮他就是了。”

教育部看重退休教师宝贵经验
　　教育部受询时回应，教育部看重退休教师的宝贵经验，因此从2008年起便落实重新雇用制度。教师退休后，可选择开启事业的新篇章，继续为教育下一代做出有意义的贡献。

　　德贤中学校长洪伟坤（43岁）说：“像吴华卿这样经验丰富的教师是学校不可多得的人才。他们不但是年轻教师的榜样，更能协助外籍华文教师更好地融入新加坡的教育制度。”


来源：《联合早报》

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“我记得的校园时光”比赛
让玩iPad的孩子也知道zero point

陈秋华 (2012-09-19)



义顺小学的参赛者平均年龄不超过7岁，但所设计的多媒体电子报章却以丰富的内容和富创意的版面设计成为小学组冠军队伍。

下雨时校园池塘淹水、休息时玩跳飞机、在蒙古包里上课……这一点一滴的校园片段是否勾起你对从前校园生活的回忆？

　　由新忆工程和教育部联合主办的“我记得的校园时光”（iremembermySchoolDays）多媒体网上报章比赛，吸引了44所学校的87支队伍参加，在短短六个月内搜集到超过380个回忆。学生在比赛过程中，除了学到访问和多媒体设计的技巧，也得以一窥师长和父母那一代的校园生活面貌。

　　共有八所学校进入大决赛，最后莱佛士女子小学和义顺小学双双成为小学组冠军，中学和初级学院组别冠军则由维多利亚初级学院夺得。

　　特别嘉宾教育部兼人力部高级政务次长贺华吉昨天在颁奖礼上讲话时，忍不住缅怀起学生生活，并与出席者分享他从前的校园趣事。

　　尽管从前的生活条件没有现在优越，校舍也较简陋，但有参赛者表示羡慕从前的学生。

　　维初代表陈恩慈说：“从前的学生在课余能尽情玩乐，我们现在即使放学了也要念书。”

　　她和队员访问了20名不同种族和年龄的公众以了解他们当年的校服设计和书包等。例如，一名受访者透露他念书时，校方只规定头发的长度而没规定高度，因此男生流行用发蜡把头发梳得越高越好。

　　陈恩慈说，大家原本对于从前学生生活的了解多局限于他们玩什么游戏，因此希望能对他们实际的校园生活面貌有更深层的了解。

　　话虽如此，对于平均年龄才7岁的义顺小学参赛者来说，游戏自然是他们最感兴趣的题材。迪妮在访问父母和一名教师的过程中发现当年男女生玩的游戏大不相同，男生爱玩一种称为Hentam Bola的球类游戏，女生则最爱玩“跳塑胶圈”（zero point）。她说：“妈妈也教我玩过‘zero point’，但我还是比较喜欢玩ipad。不过以前游戏可以跟很多朋友一起玩，玩ipad就只能自己玩。”

　　至于莱佛士女小，“我记得的校园时光”比赛其实是该校记忆工程的延伸。该校今年三月起安排校友回校分享她们从前上课的点滴。

　　张育哲（12岁）在访问老校友的过程中发现，坐落奎因街的旧校舍在第二世界大战期间原来被日军用作酷刑基地。她说：“幸好不是发生在我们现在的学校，要不然一定会有很多鬼故事！”

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总理：教育非“零和游戏”　须探讨“学前教育小学化”现象

（2012-09-24）

洪奕婷　报道
angyt@sph.com.sg

　　家长不愿孩子输在起跑点，以致幼儿教育开始出现“学前教育小学化”，李显龙总理认为这个新词的出现，意味着有探讨的必要。他承认要改变家长对教育的看法并不容易，但强调教育不是“零和游戏”。

　　他说：“每个人都应争取做得好一点，但不代表你考不到第一名就是零分。”

　　继亚洲新闻台本月14日播出“和总理对话”英语电视论坛节目后，新传媒昨晚播出论坛的华语版。李总理在节目一开始便以“教育做为社会根本课题，而幼儿教育又是开始的第一步”，先邀请30名参加对话者就学前教育分享看法。

　　所有参与者在现场投票中一面倒地认为，学前教育应该以游戏与活动为主，这令总理顿时也感到惊讶，并笑问：“那为什么我们做不到呢？”

　　讲师王雪芬说，许多家长在孩子四岁前都能接受学前教育以游戏为主，但到了孩子五六岁时就想把他转到较注重学术的学前中心。“因为他们不了解其实从游戏中教学的方法不一样，并不只是玩。他们会告诉我‘我要花这么多钱，只是给他们到学校玩，有没有搞错’。这就是一个误解。”

　　参与华语论坛的嘉宾还包括社会发展、青年及体育部代部长兼国防部高级政务部长陈振声、财政部兼交通部政务部长杨莉明，以及教育部兼律政部高级政务次长沈颖。

　　沈颖提起她最近出访中国，当地的教育工作者也非常关注“学前教育小学化”的问题。主要的担忧围绕着提前把小学的内容在学前阶段教导孩子，可能不符合孩子发育的自然规律。

沈颖认为，大家应该对学前教育达成“在学前把基础打好，让孩子做好小学的准备，而不是提前学习小学内容”的共识。

　　李总理也说，“学前教育小学化”这个新词的出现，让他觉得“有名词可见有问题”。他承认自己对这个新词闻所未闻，但它的出现意味着有必要关注和探讨。

　　有多达83％的参加对话会者认为新加坡家长的确给孩子太大的学业压力。育有1岁孩子的公司董事叶淑仪更直言，听到连串讨论后，压力更大。

　　杨莉明透露有家长曾告诉她，很满意孩子的新校长，她于是问这名家长新校长好在哪里。结果对方答说，孩子的功课现在比以前多。

　　杨莉明认为，尽管人民这种积极向上的动力有其积极性，但当它开始给人们造成不必要的压力时，“就必须思考和反省，我们是不是已经过度了”。

　　除了强调教育不是“零和游戏”，李总理也指出，我国教育不只是学术教育，也很注重品格培养。

望子成龙不利于生育
　　此外，过高的望子成龙压力恐怕也不利于人们考虑生育。论坛现场只有66％的参加对话者认可新加坡是养儿育女的好地方。即将结婚的律师刘则名坦言，虽然新加坡有安全、稳定的成长环境，但生活压力太大。“我看到身边有子女的同事，他们的家庭生活是每个月大部分薪水是付补习费，孩子读书压力很大、功课很多，以致孩子不希望跟家人有家庭时间。”

　　陈振声以个人的经验分享说，夫妻在生儿育女的过程中难免要做出一些调整。他说，当年太太生第一胎后，为照顾孩子便申请了无薪假，而他们的生活素质也无疑因家庭收入减少而必须调整。“不过，回想起来，为孩子做这个调整，我们还是觉得挺有价值的。我们也希望孩子看到这份心意，也会接受这个价值观，以后他们也会为自己的家庭做出调整，而不是以自我为中心。”

　　李总理说，我国需要创造一个在工作和生活之间取得平衡的社会和心态。“夫妻都必须接受两者之间有取舍，不能够两者都尽得到好处。”

面对新加坡生育率从1975年的2.1下降到去年的1.2，无法达到人口替代水平，总理提醒说，生育不只是个人问题，也是关系到整个社会，因为如果国人不结婚不生育对整个社会将有很严重的冲击。

wd369

jjrchome 发表于 19-9-2012 17:35
学生课本遭校方没收　丢进垃圾袋里
19/09/2012  on 新明日报      

看照片就可知,这个"垃圾袋"新闻有点误导,只是用平时装垃圾的袋子来装课本而已. 下次学校换个精装礼品袋来装课本就皆大欢喜了.

jjrchome

不同经历 不同接触 留学生互看彼此差异
2012-09-24



在本地，来自中国、非研究生课程的留学生群体，大略可分为三大类，就是所谓的SM1、SM2和SM3学生。虽然来自同一个国家，但因为留学年龄和计划性质上的差异，这三类学生或毕业生在思维和行为上其实已经形成许多差异，跟新加坡的接触深度也有所不同，渐渐形成各自的社交圈子。

　　本期《新汇点》走访一群SM1、SM2和SM3中国学生及毕业生，看他们如何展现中国留学生之间的差异与互动。


　　在本地，来自中国、非研究生课程的留学生群体中，可细分为三大类，包括初中三年级毕业后来新加坡读中学的青少年，以及在就读高中二年级时或考完高考进入大学一年级后来读大学的年轻人。后两者从一开始就被称为SM2和SM3，SM指的就是高中（SeniorMiddle School）。久而久之，那些初三毕业后来新的学生也被冠名为SM1。

　　SM1来新时年龄最小
　　周贾斯丁（27岁，跨国公司区域经理）在15岁时通过SM1招生考试，离开中国无锡排名第一的私立重点学校大桥实验中学，到本地插班进入一所名校就读中三。他目前已是永久居民，还取了洋名，习惯别人叫他贾斯丁。

　　贾斯丁说：“当时参加SM1为的是出国看世界。学校里成绩最好的学长都走这条路，30％到40％最后都到欧美大学念书。”

　　在新加坡的首两年，贾斯丁和一同前来的50多名SM1中国学生相处愉快，建立了深厚的友情。但是因为年龄、文化及学习程度方面与本地学生有差距，他当时无法结交到关系较好的本地学生。

　　他说：“我们这些中国学生突然插班，一些本地学生可能感到学习上有竞争压力。而我们则面对降级，年龄比其他同学大至少一岁的压力。

　　“这里的英文程度高，但数理化程度却比中国的低，我们即使不习惯，想回国也会高不成低不就，因此就产生无法回头只有力争上游的想法。”

　　不过，他表示这种隔阂在SM1学生进入初级学院后渐渐消失，上大学后更是微不足道。

　　SM1更早更快融入本地
　　贾斯丁认为，SM1与其他两类中国学生的确有分别。他说：“SM1的学生来的时候年龄最小，奖学金计划训练我们，让我们更早独立和成熟，事业上也能取得较好的成就。”

　　然而SM2和SM3学生在中国的日子较久，对那里更了解，对中国事务的掌握比SM1毕业生更占优势。

　　贾斯丁说：“我对SM2学生的既定印象是，他们之间有两极化现象，一部分特别努力，也比较注重实用，有些成为新加坡公民的速度比SM1毕业生还快；另一类SM2则不太努力。这样的分化是在SM1毕业生中少见的。”

　　针对SM3学生的既定印象，他说：“他们大部分关注学业，其他方面的生活就比较单一。”

来自南京大学的SM3学生毛亦喃（21岁，国大统计系）身边没什么SM1朋友。她对SM1学生的看法是：“他们的英语能力好，已融入本地文化。我也觉得他们都很厉害很活跃，有什么事可请他们帮忙。还是年龄较小的留学生的可塑性高。”

　　新加坡中国学者学生联合会主席周锐（27岁，国大博士生）大学毕业赴美国北卡大学留学，随后来新加坡攻读博士，不是SM1、SM2或SM3。

　　他笑说：“三类中国学生融入本地的程度不同，想法也不同，就好像是人类起源的演化，每个层面的变化都很大。”

　　中国奖学金得主的称号也演变出另一类对中国学生的冠名。为区分参加中国高考后直接来本地上大学的自费学生，他们非正式的名称是SM2.5。

　　SM1与其他中国学生较少往来
　　在新加坡生活12年，贾斯丁已经建立了本地朋友圈子，包括来自中学的SM1，以及国家初级学院和新加坡国立大学的同学，还有工作后的同事和朋友，因此，他没参加本地中国学生会的活动。

　　“我不清楚这些活动，我想那是为刚来新加坡，身边没朋友的学生所组织的。我所认识的SM1朋友中也没人参加中国学生会，因为大家都有自己的生活，觉得没必要。如果真参加，那也是有目的性地去社交。”

　　不过，贾斯丁与SM2或SM3中国学生还有交情。他说：“我无锡的老同学后来通过SM2计划来新加坡上大学。通过她我认识了SM2和SM3学生，我现在的同事中也有一些SM2毕业生。后来才知道自己参加的奖学金计划被他们称为SM1。”

　　中国学联会副主席蒋玮钦（25岁）说：“SM1学生确实较少与SM2与SM3学生交流，他们是不同中学直接招生的，分布较散，不像SM2和SM3是一大批地过来，较难联系到他们。

　　“中国学生会的目的是为了协助刚来新加坡的中国学生适应新生活，SM1学生在这方面的需求没那么大。”

　　不过，在新加坡生活了五年的易康（20岁，国大会计系）却很乐意参加中国学生会活动，与SM2和SM3学生互动。在广东中山初三毕业后，易康通过SM1计划到莱佛士书院就读直通车课程。他虽然在言语举止上十分本土化，但却想通过中国学生会认识更多人。

　　他说：“学生会有许多具体、有意义的活动，给他人带来快乐。”

　　SM2和SM3的相似与不同
　　在三类奖学金计划中，SM2和SM3的相似程度最高，因为两者都是来本地读大学的奖学金得主。尽管如此，他们之间依然有一定程度上的分别，主要与参加中国高考有关。

　　来自河北的SM2学生赵媛媛（21岁，南洋理工大学电机与电子工程系）说：“刚来新加坡时，我们之间的差异特别明显。可能是SM3在中国参加过竞争激烈的高考，我觉得他们把所有精力都放在学业上，眼神特空洞。”

　　一起受访的SM3学生、来自山西的武煜人（24岁，南大电脑工程系）听后大笑，说：“SM2和SM3的文化是不同，SM2是比较活跃和开放，也乐于接触本地人。SM3可能比较专心学习和研究，但这样的情况因人而异。”

　　身为SM3的蒋玮钦解释说，那是因为中国高二生升上高三后的心态变化极大。

　　他说：“高二生比较轻松，生活多样化。高二毕业后留学的SM2学生延续这样的心态。一升上高三要准备高考，压力很大，因此SM3学生对中国教育制度的烙印更深。”

　　武煜人也提出另个原因：“SM2在本地大学的培训课有20个月，而我们的培训课约7个月，密度更紧，管理更严，对我们参加课余活动有局限。”

　　由于SM2和SM3培训课程是分别管理，即使同住一个宿舍彼此交流也不大。等到他们正式进入大学后，距离才会拉近。

　　赵媛媛说：“我在大一时会在学年成绩优异榜上区分SM2和SM3，到了大二时就不管了。”武煜人则说：“现在我们之间的关系较好，习惯了一个社交圈子，也就不分你我了。”

中国学生之间的互动
　　周贾斯丁认为，这些学生之间没必要特意区分，毕竟许多SM1毕业生最终也和SM2或SM3的毕业生“通婚”。

　　目前在国大修读机械工程的SM2学生王宇哲（21岁）说，中国学生之间刚认识时，会询问对方来新加坡的年数，从中了解他们是什么背景的学生，“但大家还是自家人，熟络后就不会区分了。”

　　赵媛媛则说：“SM1、SM2或SM3不过是一种标签，不是为了区分我们，而是帮助我们互相了解，找出共同点。这和我们刚认识时，询问对方是哪里来的、什么学校来的是一样道理。”

　　不过，中国学联会副主席蒋玮钦也说：“学生的交流通常出现在同期奖学金得主之间，如果是自费过来的中国学生，只身一人，他们联系学生会的意愿可能特别强。”

　　中国学联会每年也会举办多种不同类型活动，拓展层面较广的互动和联系，如春节晚会、体育节及联谊活动等，也不限中国学生参加，同样邀请本地学生，并参与本地社团的活动。而今年举办的一系列体育节活动，就选在民众俱乐部举行，让中国学生接触本地基层组织。

　　蒋玮钦说：“学联会宗旨是帮助中国新学生适应新环境，但现在也要扩大胸怀，增强与本地人及新移民的交流。我们现在更常与宗乡总会、中华总商会、通商中国合作，也参加本地的公益活动。”

　　SM1、SM2和SM3计划的不同
　　除了心理、思维和行为上的不同，SM1、SM2和SM3奖学金得主的实质待遇也不一样。

　　据了解，SM1学生从初院（高中）毕业后如果想留在新加坡升大学，可申请政府的学费津贴，毕业后为新加坡公司工作三年。

　　SM1学生在申请本地大学时更自由，可按照A水准会考成绩来选择专业。SM2及SM3学生则须申请工程、科学、电脑有关的大学课程，毕业后须为新加坡服务六年。

　　随着本地从中学直通高中的直通车课程普及，SM1学生可能不必参加O水准会考便能进入初院，只参加A水准会考。SM2学生不在中国参加高考，也无需参加A水准会考，只需在进入大学前进行较长的培训。

　　至于生活费方面，据了解，SM1学生前两年的生活费是每年2200元，后两年初院的生活费是每年2400元。SM2和SM3学生的生活费则为每年6000元。

来源：《联合早报》