The importance of the GEP

I am writing this in response to the article “A gift of a programme”. In it, the author expresses support for the Gifted Education Programme (GEP), noting its success and refuting the allegation that it is elitist and GEP students are snobbish. I wholeheartedly agree with this and would like to add on further about how GEP is necessary, meritocratic and not elitist. Of course, being a ex-GEP student, I may be biased. However, I feel I have adequate reasons.
I feel that the GEP is necessary since those who are talented must have these talents developed, otherwise they will simply be wasted. If these students are not challenged, they will end up learning very little from their classes and eventually not bother studying. Worse still, they can end up becoming trouble makers. Mainstream classes are usually geared towards studying for exams. A talented student will have the potential to do more than this. However, a mainstream teacher will be unable to cater towards this minority of students due to the large class size. Just as the academically weaker students are not expected to be able to keep up with the mainstream standard, hence the foundation papers in PSLE, those who are talented should not be required to hold back and accommodate their mainstream peers.
Some might argue that if students are talented, they can develop their interests on their own. However, if these students are always bored during lessons, they may develop negative attributes such as laziness which will prevent them from fully developing their talents.
The accusation that the GEP is elitist is unfounded considering that GEP students have ample opportunity to mix with mainstream students. In addition, even in a normal class, there will be some divide between the better performers and the lower ones. Thus, if there were no GEP, these talented students may only compare grades within their class and come to the conclusion that they are the best, not realising there are others like them. GEP students are also not likely to be snobbish since they can see the amount of money put into the program. I always remember my teachers telling us on occasion to be grateful of this.
In addition, the GEP is no longer as exclusive. The GEP in secondary schools has been replaced by the Integrated Programme (IP). Aside from some modifications, it is effectively GEP offered to a wider group of students (top 10% instead of the top 1% only).
There are also some who may complain that the GEP primarily serves the rich since they can afford tuition and have a head start. However, the GEP selection test tests on higher order thinking skills. These require some talent to pass and not merely blind memorisation. Thus, this filters out a lot of rote learners who are just drilled on past year papers and exam books. Of course, the rich do have some advantage; however, this is a problem intrinsic in the whole education system. If you look at it in another way however, GEP allows those who are too poor to find ways to develop their talents do so.
Therefore, I feel the GEP is necessary since it helps academically talented students develop their talents, is not elitist and is meritocratic.