Friday, December 17, 2010

Education System in Singapore

Education system in Singapore

Everyone knows the importance of an education certificate in Singapore. Or rather, every parent in Singapore would emphasise the importance of having it. Without it, how are we going to compete with other job seekers in society? Is this the purpose of education in Singapore?

In Singapore, an average child begins his/her education from nursery and kindergarten level. This is called pre-school education whereby at the end of it, children learn how to differentiate right from wrong, how to interact and socialise with others, develop interest in learning, expressing themselves and love the people around them. Most of these are actually basic but crucial social skills that go a long way in our lives.

After kindergarten, a child should go through primary school education. In fact, an average child above 6 years old but below 15 years old has to attend a national primary school as a student regularly under the Compulsory Education Act which was introduced in 2003. Therefore usually all children would at least have gone through primary education up to Primary 6 level.

In primary school, students are taught a range of subjects including languages, mathematics, sciences, art & crafts, music and social studies, so as to lay a foundation in subjects across different areas of study. Knowledge skills and character development are also main aspects of primary education whereby thought-and-process skills and life skills are developed through Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs), Civics and Moral Education, National Education and Physical Education.

However, many parents are more focused on their child’s academic results instead of character development and sent their children to tuition classes, expecting their children to score full marks for tests and examinations. At the end of Primary 6, students take the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) before they can successfully graduate from Primary 6. The reason why many parents would send their child for tuition classes is the wish for their child to score well and enter a good secondary school after PSLE.

Students are posted into a secondary school based on either the Direct School Admission (DSA) or Secondary One Posting Exercise. For DSA, a secondary school selects a student based on the school’s merit-based academic and non-academic criteria. Depending on what the school emphasise on, qualities such as talent in science, music or sports, would be taken in consideration. Student that are not selected may still gain admission into a secondary school via the Secondary One Posting Exercise.

The DSA shows that not all school focus on academic results only. Besides, every Secondary School student has to take part in at least one CCA. Secondary schools focus on a more holistic education where students become more all-rounded, excelling in both academics and CCA. CCA performance is also considered for admission into post secondary education. This will encourage students to be more participative in their CCAs and learn how to strike a balance between studies and CCA.

However, the workload in secondary school curriculum is heavier as compared to primary school and students sometimes find it difficult to cope. This is especially so with long school hours and CCA after lessons, leaving students with not much time to complete assignments and have ample rest. Students take 6 to 10 subjects, depending on their school and subject combination offered. On weekends, students have to squeeze in time for project meetings amidst their usual schedule of tuition, dance, piano or other classes. I really wonder if secondary school students have enough rest before going through another long day in school.

At the end of a 4 year-Express course or 5 year-Normal course, secondary school students sit for the Cambridge O level Examinations. Based on the number of points they get for their L1R5 or L1R4, students either go on to JC, Polytechnic, Centralised Institute or the Institute of Technical Education. After which, they either get an A level certificate or a Diploma. Students may choose to go on to get a University Degree or start working.

What we see is allocation of place into an education institute based on results more often than not. Only a minority gets admitted into a school based on non-academic criteria. There is an over emphasis on getting good results throughout our education years. Countless of students would rather give CCA a miss as they see it as less important than their academic. How far can academic knowledge bring you? When one reaches society, it is the ‘soft skills’ that would matter more. How we interact with people, how we work with people, how we compromise and reach a common understanding etc.

For many students in Singapore, their education years are filled with endless tuition classes, doing homework until the wee hours, mugging for tests and examinations or even dozing off in class due to lack of sleep. I feel that the education system in Singapore creates a stressful life for its students. The expectation to excel in every subject and area not only increase competition among peers, but also the amount of stress a student would have to handle.

I hope parents would not place too much expectation on their child to the extent that getting a certificate becomes their purpose of education.

Link: MOE website

Monday, December 13, 2010

Bullies in school


Bullying in schools
In the past, whenever I see someone getting bullied or teased at, the first thing that hits me is that he or she might have done something wrong. Because I never had problems like that in my primary/secondary school days and I studied at one of the top worst secondary schools. I might not have been one of the good girls in school with straight As but neither am I a hooligan.  However I get my way through school days effortlessly, reasons? First, I avoid. Second, I know how to apologise. Third I never let myself cross their paths.
Now linking the situation back to the topic, I am thinking since we cannot stop bullying, why not preventing it from happening? Yes, of course there might still be some immature kids in school that will bully you no matter how hard you try to hide, but how about learning first, how to avoid those who won’t bully when you don’t annoy them? First, know what kind of bully you are dealing with; bullies that taunt are easier to deal with than bullies who abuse physically and without hesitation. Next, try to avoid them in school. Don't go anywhere near them, but don't show that you are dodging them. They will usually read hiding away as fear, and they will bully you more as a result. Last point to note, you cannot talk sense to an irrational person, just walk away.
Now, youngsters tease for a number of different reasons. It may be to get attention, bullying is a good way of getting negative attention, and, unluckily, for many bullies, negative attention is better than no attention. It could also be peer recognition, for cases like this the need to feel that they belong is strong, it is not unusual to see teenager teasing just because they see it as being a "cool" thing to do and it may help them feel part of a group. Lastly, it may also be the influence of media, youngster are commonly exposed to put-downs, mockery, and a lack of respect in many of the television programs and therefore their actions.
Many may not know what bullying and cause, be it long term or short term. The experience of being bullied can end up causing permanent destruction to victims. It is not necessary to be physically harmed in order to suffer lasting harm. Words and gestures are quite enough. The main wound that bullying victims suffer is damage to their self-concepts; to their personalities. Bullying is an attempt to instil fear and self-loathing. Being the repetitive target of bullying damages the ability to view oneself as a necessary, capable and effective individual. More likely that one will become increasingly vulnerable and depressed or angry or bitter. In short term one may have dangerous suicidal thoughts and feelings or depression.
Youngsters need to learn about the danger and outcomes of bullying. Parents also need to help their children deal with the rebellious state in their life. With all the love and help from their family or any one close, I believe bullying will stop someday.