Her daughter is fortunate that she was nurtured by the Gifted Education Programme (GEP) to achieve academic and personal success.

It is hardly surprising that GEP graduates achieve significant academic and professional success, given their intellectual ability. I believe Mr Lim was more concerned, as I am, with whether GEP graduates have harnessed their formidable intellectual prowess and ability - enhanced by the GEP - to benefit society.

As the GEP goals include teaching students 'to develop a strong social conscience and commitment to serve society and nation' and 'to develop moral values and qualities for responsible leadership', the public would be more interested to know if the best educational resources bestowed on graduates have borne fruit for society in general.

Has the GEP instilled in them a desire to give back to society what it has invested in them? If the lavish educational investment has not paid dividends for society as a whole, then the GEP has failed in the most important regard.

Ms Tan has not elaborated on how her daughter has made contributions to the community or society. Perhaps other parents of GEP graduates or the Ministry of Education could give examples of how society has benefited from the GEP.

Maria Loh Mun Foong (Ms)