AISG: What to Improve for 2018-19

With the end of the year rapidly approaching, I asked students to reflect on this school year. Some students commented on the “endless nurturing of the AISG faculty and environment” and our friendly teachers. Some also spoke about our new theatre, the bathroom inside and its cooling A/C. A student talked about our new trash cans and the cleanliness of our school with its immaculately clean hallways and our friendly ayis. One also commented on the new section of the library where you could eat.

I also asked some students for their anonymous opinions on what AISG can improve or change for the new 2018-2019 school year. Of course, it’s the week of final exams, and teenagers are very quick to generate constructive criticism. Here are some of their responses:

Students talked about how they would prefer lower lunch prices with larger portions of food provided. One student commented on how the café gave small portions for expensive prices. Another said they wanted a “high quality” lunch if the price was going to be so expensive. Someone also commented on the recycling problem and how we should try to recycle our bottles and cans more often. A student did add that, if the prices were reduced or the portions increased, the food options at our school would be superb.

Some students spoke about their hopes that the school would subsidise APAC costs. One talked about athletes getting their own APAC uniforms, as in some other APAC schools, students got to personalise their jerseys with their names. He also wanted to have the seasonal APAC pizza for the APAC soccer season as there didn’t seem to be any this year.

Many commented on AISG’s education system. One freshman suggested that more help should be provided for students who are struggling at school, such as those with learning disabilities. Another spoke about how there should be action taken to help teachers with many significant student complaints improve, or that guidelines be provided for a student feedback system. One student also talked about how students should be allowed to change their language options if the language course is too hard for them; for example, they talked about the large gap between the Chinese Native A Level and the level right below it, and how some students should be able to switch if they could not keep up. Another student expressed their disappointment about the Art Trip this year being cancelled because there was a lack of participation, and hoped students would be more proactive in taking advantage of such opportunities in the future.

Students expressed their concern over AISG’s use of finances, saying that “the money we receive goes to unnecessary places.” They wanted the money to go to improving education. One freshman commented on how “we should not using money on innovation labs and robotics,” elaborating that “only a minority of our school’s population uses drones.” He said, “We input money, but many students don’t get the output of it. Only a minority of students get it. If it doesn’t improve education for everyone, why should we pay for it? It’s biased towards a small percentage of students as not everyone gets to use 3D printers or robotics.” He then suggested that students should have a say in new innovations made at AISG.

Do you think these changes should be made? What else do you think is going well, and what other changes do you think can improve AISG? Leave your comments down below!