Behind the Singapore Education System, lies a chase for Superficial Perfection
From the comparison of examination results at family reunion dinners, to teachers and peers subtly making remarks that incapsulate the idea that taking on certain subject combinations would be the superior choice to others, even though it may not be the most suitable option that suits the individual’s interests – These speak volumes about us as a society, and this could be why students in Singapore experience getting overly critical about themselves, but rather their direct support systems such as their family, friends, teachers, and peers.
However, despite all these programmes being inculcated in
our school curriculum, why do we still see many youths beating themselves up over their seemingly sufficient academic records and portfolio contents?
The truth is exposure to new initiatives by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and opportunities to see themselves in the different facets of Singapore’s education may not be enough of them to completely adopt a genuine love for learning. The direct support given to them from their community matters too.
From the comparison of examination results at family reunion dinners, to teachers and peers subtly making remarks that incapsulate the idea that taking on certain subject combinations would be the superior choice to others, even though it may not be the most suitable option that suits the individual’s interests – These speak volumes about us as a society, and this could be why students in Singapore experience getting overly critical about themselves, but rather their direct support systems such as their family, friends, teachers, and peers.
In 2019, an 11-year-old boy told his mother that for his upcoming exams, he was working towards the goal of straight As, even specifying the scores he was hoping to achieve. However, his mother only disapprovingly responded with two words.
“Not Enough.”
When local journalists Derrick A Paulo and Anna Tolentino interviewed the mother, she shared that she has met parents who won’t even tolerate one mistake in exams and would demand consistent perfect scores. Some would even resort to beating their children if they don’t meet or exceed their expectations.
The re are many examples of responses that would easily be frowned upon by society whenever a student is asked about their aspirations and their educational background. ‘Oh, I’m in the Normal (Technical) Stream’, ‘I wish to pursue arts in the future’, ‘I sat for my PSLE twice’. These statements would naturally deem these students as failures in society’s eyes and we should be concerned about it.
Additionally, senior consultant and deputy chief of IMH’s department of developmental psychiatry, Dr Lim Choon Guan, shared that he has seen more teenagers over the past few years in their clinics who are from top schools reporting experiences of school-related stress.
There are many examples of responses that would easily be frowned upon by society whenever a student is asked about their aspirations and their educational background. ‘Oh, I’m in the Normal (Technical) Stream’, ‘I wish to pursue arts in the future’, ‘I sat for my PSLE twice’. These statements would naturally deem these students as failures in society’s eyes and we should be concerned about it.
Obligating our children into a lifestyle of working towards the unreal expectations not even set by themselves and for themselves, in the name of superficial achievements just so that they could ‘stand out’ in society, has been proven to induce toxic mentalities in an individual at a very young age.
Furthermore, the unspoken culture of comparison among students would only shape a mentality that pushes them to work hard to please people, especially those who have a higher authority over them, out of fear of being ridiculed and punished.
As young adults who have spent our childhoods in Singapore, do we ever wonder why we subject ourselves to such demanding standards sometimes? Was it to appear ‘better’ than everyone around us? To ensure our portfolios and resume stands out from the rest to access the opportunities the world has to offer?
If we analysed our thought processes that went into these agendas, we would uncover that these reasons are nothing more than superficial ones to impress people. Or better still, to gain respect, admiration, and envy from the people around us.
Perhaps a reason why we are willing to sacrifice our mental well-being, hobbies, and our passions is because we were traumatized as children about the consequences of ‘lacking behind’ and ‘not working hard enough’. We fear tarnishing our dignity and self-worth.
Our economy is rapidly changing with newer industries and job scopes gaining exposure and relevance to our society. It is now especially important that students be given a chance to explore their strengths and weaknesses, discover things that pique their interests and find what they are passionate about.
In 2017, Education Minister Ng Chee Meng spoke about finding a balance between learning and the obsession with grades of students and parents, and that it was important for children to find joy in learning, so that they will enjoy what they do in school.
The Ministry of Education empowers that by offering ample programmes, initiatives and opportunities for our youth and children to explore and learn about themselves. The chance to do so is always there for them if they wanted it. Failure is all part of their learning process and learning to deal with failure and falling short of their own expectations of themselves is an important skill to have in the real world.
I believe as a community, we still have a long way to go in providing the mental and emotional support our children would require for them to thrive as individuals with clear ideas of their identity and hopes for their own future. Change starts with us.
As individuals, we can set good examples for the next generation by practising healthier habits on ourselves every day. We could start dialogues with them about setting expectations and the importance of failure, and how these are woven into the learning process. Instead of lamenting about failure, we could share about our learning experiences from failure and the good that came out of them.
By adopting these practices, we can hope to instil a better sense of self-confidence in the young ones and a reawakened drive to build their identities as individuals who would impact society in their own ways one day.
Shayene Gilflores Winfred is a Communications Student at the University at Buffalo. Contact her at shayfloreda@gmail.com