A defence of the Singapore education system

The recently concluded Ministry of Education (MOE) Workplan Seminar

2012 came in the midst of a national conversation amongst Singaporeans.
New initiatives by MOE to improve the quality and focus of the Singapore
education system from abolishing the secondary school banding to raising
the profile of teachers are commendable.
In the cacophony of ideas to improve the system, perhaps it would be
appropriate to address some of the major points of contention
stakeholders have about our education methodology.
Point 1: Tuition is necessary to succeed in school.
The flourishing tuition scene in Singapore has been in response to rising
academic expectations. However, tuition is not instrumental to achieve
results. Our schools have dedicated teachers who are well-versed with the
curriculum and are able to effectively deliver learning points across to
their students. The reinforcement that tuition provides students will be
unnecessary if the individual is able to be proactive in his or her work.
Often, tuition has become a supervised study session where parents are
merely paying to ensure that their child has fulfilled a certain number of
revision hours. Going to tuition becomes a panacea for laziness and
develops a blas attitude on the part of the learner.
Students are under the wrong impression that tuition is a substitute for
consistent studying when it is at most a supplement. Parents are thus
pressured by their counterparts to send their children for such extra
coaching without giving thought as to whether it would be beneficial for
the child.
To reduce reliance on tuition, students ought to be encouraged to make
appointments for consultations with their school teachers and devote
more hours to independent studying. For the inquisitive, our schools have
educators capable of catering to their need for a more challenging
academic workload.

Point 2: Academic workload is too heavy that students do not

have a life.
Undeniably, Singapores education curriculum is rigorous; but it is
essential to maintain the countrys human resource pre-eminence. Our
population needs to be well trained and ahead of the curve in order to
compete in a globalised world.

Not without reason do Singaporean students rank highly in international

education rankings such as the Trends in International Mathematics and
Science Study. The country has become a hub for a wide variety of
disciplines from finance to law due to the quality of workers we can supply
to critical industries.

A heavy academic workload is not an excuse for a reduction in students

wellbeing and quality of life. The ability to handle schoolwork and hobbies
are not mutually exclusive. Parents should not complain that the multitude
of homework or revision is impeding their children from having a
childhood. The younger generation must be taught how to handle
competing commitments in their life, after all, school is a mere microcosm
of the society at large. The training in prioritising and time management is
essential to have a balanced life both in their schooling years and after.

Point 3: The system breeds elitism.

While it may be true that students rarely have a chance to interact with
their counterparts from different academic streams, fostering cohesion
amongst students of varied abilities should not come at the expense of
providing a differentiated curriculum to suit each students needs.
While collaborations between Pathlight School and Chong Boon Secondary
School to foster student integration are laudable, streaming students
according to learning needs is still best for the learner. Allowing students
to choose a course of study that suits their interest and ability will
encourage more of them to enjoy the process of learning and become
more motivated to achieve.
Elitism rests on the assumption that some students are objectively better
than others; that objectivity used to come from the myriad of formal
assessments. However, as our world becomes more diverse and
globalised, there is no longer a single marker by which we can measure
ability - even academic ability. Instead of focusing on the social stigma of
pursuing a less rigorous course, students should harness their energy on
working hard to pursue their dreams and to never give up in what they
believe in. These are the core skills that will ensure they do well in
whichever industry they land in.
If students have the motivation to follow their dreams, the very idea of
elitism may fade with the burgeoning of opportunities.

Point 4: The education system is too academic-driven and is not

preparing students for the actual demands of working life.

The Singapore education system has matured and allowed individuals with
diverse backgrounds and talents to gain further training in their chosen
field.
With School of the Arts and Singapore Sports School, individuals are able
to have a wide spectrum of specialised training that will put them in good
stead to pursue it at tertiary level in the future. Raffles Institution has
started a gap semester giving students opportunities to pursue service
learning in Bhutan or to learn the basics of flying a plane. Our polytechnics
similarly have internship opportunities to ease their graduates into
working life.

Admission committees in junior colleges and universities today have

greater autonomy in admitting students based on non-academic
achievements which make up an increasingly important part of a students
portfolio.
Increased enrichment opportunities provided does not mean a
simultaneous decline in the importance of lessons. The traditional lectures
are essential and fundamental to the study of the subject before one is
able explore and push the boundaries of understanding.

Conclusion
The Singapore education system works. It is founded upon sound
principles and has evolved to incorporate the diversity necessary to be
relevant in the modern world. The onus to study and responsibility to
achieve still rests squarely on the student and not the parent nor the
teacher. To achieve MOEs aim of a values-driven education, we need to
inculcate in our young the values of hard work, perseverance and
gumption to dream. It is perhaps the biggest lesson we can pass on to our
younger generation.