As a parent with a child who has received the offer to take on the Gifted Education Programme (GEP), you may be considering if you should enrol your child in the GEP route. You may also be a parent who is considering if you should invest extra effort in preparing your child to ensure a spot for them in the GEP programme.

If you are in either of these positions, this entry covers the benefits of GEP and will guide you in making a more informed decision.

Objectives of GEP
The GEP was initiated by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and first put in place in 1984. It was implemented with the intention to cater to the different learning paces of each pupil through providing all children with the most conducive and suitable learning environment for them to realize their full potential.

With the understanding of the intended objectives of the GEP, you may be wondering - how will the GEP then benefit your child both present and down the road?

Here are some benefits of GEP if you eventually make the decision to enrol your child in the programme:

Wider exposure to diverse learning styles
Under the GEP, there is an extensive range of programmes offered for your child to participate and engage themselves in. The variety of programmes available ranging from specialized learning programmes to outdoor activities are with the intention to give the pupils more exposure to diverse styles of learning. These programmes are complementary to the GEP curriculum that the children will undergo in schools, allowing them to enhance their daily classroom learning through more interactive and experiential ways.

For the full list of enrichment programmes and activities offered, do refer to the MOE website.

Development of their creativity and analytical skills
Additionally, your child will also see development in their creative skills with the variety of out-of-classroom programmes offered under the GEP.

The out-of-classroom learning approach allows their minds to not be restricted by the content within textbooks, but broadens their thinking and allows their creative minds to wander with the different interactions that they encounter. They will start to question more beyond the textbook content and come to develop more interest in different topics as they get to see their interests come alive.
Also, the programmes and activities under the GEP are often more challenging compared to their daily work in school. Pupils are often put in scenarios and problems that will require them to think out of the box, thus developing their analytical skills.

Development of child’s full potential
For children with higher learning abilities, the daily classroom style of learning may be too restrictive for them for their further development. Thus, it is essential for them to learn in an environment that can stimulate them to engage in more inquisitive learning for the development of their full potential.

Learning for the long-run
The programmes being pushed forth under the GEP is meant for the children’s learning in the long-run through identifying pupils with higher learning abilities and giving them opportunities for more exposure to diverse learning styles, develop their creativity and analytical skills at a younger age. This will come to help them in having a greater adaptability and ensure that there will be a smoother transition in their future education paths.

In terms of having a smoother transition, one benefit would also be the admission of GEP students into Integrated Programmes (IP) schools that offers School-based Gifted Education (SBGE) programmes. GEP pupils who have been offered places through Direct School Admission (DSA) need not apply for schools after the release of PSLE results. Although being in the GEP will help in a child's DSA, but it does not guarantee a spot for all GEP students who have applied to the school of their choice. GEP students who did not receive an offer or did not take part in the DSA will have to apply through the Secondary One Posting Exercise using their PSLE results.

Conclusion
Despite the benefits of the GEP being laid out, the effort ultimately lies in the children themselves. Entry into GEP does not translate into direct results of a child being more creative and analytical in comparison with their peers. The learning and benefits from undergoing the GEP is still predominantly dependent on the child’s receptiveness to this learning style at their young age. Also, it is dependent on whether they value the opportunities being granted to them and make full use of this opportunity to enhance and advance their learning abilities and capacities.

For parents who are worried if your child will lose a competitive edge compared to those in the GEP, don’t worry too much if your child did not get the offer to enrol in the GEP programme. The GEP programme is specially designed for students with faster learning abilities - those offered and granted admission are often students who can handle their daily work in school well. Thus, the GEP may not be suited for all children’s learning styles and needs. As such, it is important that a child goes and stays in the most desired learning environment for them. 😊