Latest news with #academicperformance
CNA
5 days ago
- Science
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - The Wellness Hour - It's getting hot in here!
CNA938 Rewind Play As Singapore swelters under rising temperatures, classrooms are becoming the new frontlines of climate adaptation. Cheryl Goh speaks to Associate Professor Alberto Salvo, who is dean's chair of the Department of Economics at the National University of Singapore (NUS), the researcher behind a new study linking heat to poorer academic performance, exploring how the heat affects students' focus, health and well-being.
Independent Singapore
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
TikTok model calls out Singlish and academic pressures, yet says she's ‘still a proud Singaporean'
SINGAPORE: In a TikTok video posted earlier this week, a young woman appeared to take potshots at Singlish, the high value placed on academic performance, and the large number of fines in the city-state, and yet ended by underlining how much she loves Singapore. Carolina Broberg's video has since gone viral, getting over 344,000 views in the past few days and receiving many comments. Ms Broberg, a model of Singaporean and Swedish descent, captioned her video with 'Still a proud Singaporean though,' along with a Singaporean flag emoji. @carolinabroberg Still a proud Singaporean though 🇸🇬 #singapore #sg #singaporetiktok #sgtiktok ♬ original sound – Caro The context of her video is that many people have wondered about her experiences of having been born and raised in Singapore, asking her if it was like the hit movie Crazy Rich Asians. 'And I say if you take millions of people from China, Malaysia, and India and if you squeeze them all into the same tropical island, no one understands each other, and so they end up creating the ugliest, laziest form of English called 'Singlish',' she said. She added that it's 'embedded' in the culture for the self-worth of every child to be 'purely based' on how well they do at school, and the number of laws has created a people who are scared to even breathe the wrong way. Ms Broberg added jokingly that at least everyone has money in Singapore and that they can walk its streets feeling safe, 'admiring Marina Bay Sands, right?' Although she meant it in good fun, some TikTok users may have missed her dry humour and felt that she was insulting the city-state, jumping in quickly to defend Singapore. In another video she posted on Tuesday (June 10), Ms Broberg shot back at commenters who appeared to think she hates Singapore. She proceeded to list what she loves about the city-state, including the food, which she considers to be the best in the world. Another thing she appreciates is safety, saying that a person could leave a Birkin bag in a cafe for an hour and when they come back, it's still there. @carolinabroberg Replying to @Amy Since everyone thinks I hate SG #singapore #sg #singaporetiktok #sgtiktok ♬ original sound – Caro Over on Reddit, where her first video was also shared, commenters were inclined to be more chill, pointing out that there may be something to Ms Broberg's criticism. However, what they did take exception to was how she characterised Singlish, defending it by saying that it's quite an efficient way to speak, since it jumps straight to the point and eliminates unnecessary parts of a sentence. 'Singlish has been and will always be the language of the working class. It's history as a creole formed in our melting pot that allowed people of different races to communicate despite their lack of education reflects Singapore's multiracial origins,' wrote a Reddit user. 'The thing is, people act like Singlish (and Singaporean accent) is some horrible abomination that is unique to Singapore. But different countries/races/languages have their own accented English and their version of ###-glish,' wrote another. The Independent Singapore has reached out to Ms Broberr for further comments or updates. /TISG Read also: Singaporeans give American in SG permission to use Singlish, even say it's 'endearing'
News24
11-06-2025
- General
- News24
Overcrowding crisis in classrooms hits Madikoloshe Malepe Secondary School in Limpopo
Parents in Limpopo province have reached their breaking point, threatening to halt all classes at Madikoloshe Malepe Secondary School as extreme overcrowding combines with plummeting academic performance to create an educational crisis. 'We have no choice but to take drastic action,' says David Mokoena, School Governing Body Chairperson. 'The entire situation is costing our children their future, and we cannot allow it to continue any longer.' The school, located in Praktiseer outside Burgersfort, has become emblematic of South Africa's education infrastructure challenges. Grade 8 classrooms currently accommodate an astounding 124 learners, while Grade 9 classrooms hold 109 students—far exceeding educational best practices. Teachers report being unable to move through classrooms to provide individual attention, while many students lack basic desk space. The overcrowding has worsened as enrollment increased by approximately 100 new students. 'Some learners don't even have desks,' Mokoena explains. 'Teachers cannot walk around the classroom to check work or provide guidance. How can learning happen in these conditions?' Adding to the frustration, Madikoloshe Malepe is among 1,000 schools nationwide selected to pilot the General Education Certificate program based on South Africa's Three Stream Model. This innovative approach aims to prepare learners for careers as lawyers, builders, doctors, thinkers, organizers, or influencers through vocational, occupational, and academic pathways. According to education experts, South Africa's Three Stream Model represents a significant educational reform, dividing learning into academic, technical vocational, and technical occupational streams to better prepare students for diverse career paths. However, the severe resource constraints at Madikoloshe Malepe undermine these ambitious goals. The crisis reflects broader educational challenges in Limpopo. Recent statistics indicate over 1,600 learners across the province remained unplaced at the start of the 2025 school year, while numerous schools report similar overcrowding issues. At Ketlane Primary School, for instance, some classrooms accommodate over 100 learners, creating nearly impossible teaching conditions. School administrators report sending 'countless series of letters' to circuit officials requesting mobile classrooms to alleviate the overcrowding. The poor academic results from the previous quarter have only intensified parents' concerns. Read more| Millions spent yet no road construction done Mosebjane Kgaffe, spokesperson for the Limpopo Department of Education, acknowledged the situation: 'The department is aware of the overcrowding at Madikoloshe Malepe Secondary School. We have received requests for additional adhoc educators; however, the school is currently allocated 11 posts—a principal, head of department, and nine educators.' Kgaffe promised relief may be coming: 'After approval by the Head of Department, the school's challenges will be put on the priority list. Utilizing mobile classrooms will reduce overcrowding, and the request for additional resources has been given the necessary attention it deserves.' For parents and students enduring daily educational challenges in cramped, freezing classrooms, these promises offer little immediate comfort as their educational futures hang in the balance.
CBS News
18-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker discusses possible TEA takeover of Fort Worth ISD
Two weeks ago, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker won re-election to her third term with more than two out of every three votes. Eye on Politics reporter Jack Fink asked her about the troubles facing Fort Worth ISD in a conversation with the mayor. Fort Worth ISD academic performance The Texas Education Agency notified Fort Worth ISD recently that it may take over district operations or close the Leadership Academy at Forest campus. The 6th grade school received its fifth consecutive "unacceptable" academic rating for the 2022–2023 school year. Under Texas Education Code § 39A.111, five consecutive failing ratings trigger mandatory state intervention. The commissioner must either appoint a board of managers to oversee the district or order the closure of the campus. In a letter to the district earlier this month, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath cited broader academic struggles across the district. Based on 2023 preliminary ratings, Fort Worth ISD received an overall grade of D, with 77 campuses rated D or F. The district has 147 schools. Eight campuses have failed to meet minimum academic standards since at least 2018, though the letter did not name them. Mayor Parker discusses her concerns for the district When asked how concerned she was regarding the district's performance, Mayor Parker responded, "Well, I'm concerned, and here's why. This will be a very critical time period for that ISD over the next several months." "At the end of the day, the decision is Commissioner Morath's, and my allegiance is to the students and for the ISD, they deserve to have an A-rated campus across every single campus in the city of Fort Worth. We deserve to have one of the best school districts, not in just the state of Texas, but across the country. So, if Commissioner Morath decides that the only answer is to take over the district, I'll do whatever it takes to rally the support needed in this community to make that district successful. If his decision is actually to leave the ministration of the board in place, I'll do the exact same thing as I've said before." When asked if Mayor Parker wanted the TEA Commissioner to take over, she stated she thinks a takeover would be "disruptive". "But I want to be careful my words, because I do understand why someone in his position would feel the need to make that decision. I don't want anybody that's listening to this interview to mistake that. I also agree it's unacceptable. But I've also heard those same words and transparency from Doctor Karen Molinar, who has not been in the full-time leadership capacity of superintendent for that long, allowing her to lead the district forward." Managing a growing Fort Worth population Mayor Parker also spoke to Jack about the city of Fort Worth's surging population. "We're focused on the things that matter most to voters across the city of Fort Worth," said Parker. "It's about quality of life for every single resident across all 350 miles in the city of Fort Worth. It's public safety, it's infrastructure, it's parks, it's our library system. And really, being smart about what it looks like to be the fastest growing large city in the country and be prepared for future growth but also take care of the residents across our city today." Reports show that Fort Worth has already surpassed Austin as the fourth largest city in the state. When asked about balancing the quality of life with a surge in growth, Mayor Parker says understanding residents' current needs and experiences is important in preparing for the future. "Being incredibly fair and focused across distributing the need across the entire city and all our council districts, all ten council districts across the city of Fort Worth, and then also takes coordination between state and federal partners."
