I REFER to the report “School elite classes to be done away with in three years” (The Star, Dec 14). Since the colonial era, the streaming of classes has been the responsibility of school principals or headmasters/headmistresses and many have opted for setting up elite classes. Thus, it is baffling to hear that the Education Ministry reportedly aims to do away with the system of elite classes in the country’s schools by 2020. Of course, we can talk of peer group teaching, that is good students teaching the weaker ones. I would humbly suggest that the Education Ministry do a pilot study of mixed ability class and the teacher’s and students’ performance before considering abolishing the elite class system.

Source: The Star December 17, 2017 23:03 UTC