Monday, August 3, 2009
Hey people, this post is in response to smth I read at someone’s blog. It’s very lengthy and has an essay so read it only if you have nothing better to do. This blog post is not for fun, it’s to express my opinions. Bear with me.
Today I will be talking about children “Singapore’s education system, boon or bane?” (in response to someone’s post).
Singapore’s education system has been a remarkably successful tool in turning a once 3rd world nation into a technological wonderland. Our education system has been the bedrock of our nation, imparting crucial skills and knowledge to our children. Our booming economic growth is but one of the various benefits that can be attributed to the solid foundation our education system provides. Throughout the years, however, it has not just been our economy that has grown at an exponential rate, the number of teenagers and children seeking counseling and medication for depression has also been increasing. This is the not-so-hidden opportunity cost of our flawless education system.
Our education system is flawless in every regard. Highly regarded by many of the leading countries in the field of education, attempts have been made to replicate its success in countless other countries. The open secret, however, is that this model of education can increase the stress faced by students a hundred fold. There have been detriments as well as benefits, and this essay will examine and evaluate the overall success of the education system.
The first benefit would be the undeniable leap in our economy that education has afforded us. From operating textile factories to now wafer manufacturing plants, the change in the level of sophistication needed is evident. This switch from low-tech to high tech manufacturing has seen Singapore remain competitive amid a cutthroat global scene. Even now with the emergence of major manufacturing powers such as China, India and Indonesia in South East Asia, Singapore has still managed to keep ahead of the pack thanks to our highly skilled workforce, a product of none other than our education system.
Another benefit of our education system is in the political realm. With greater education, the minds of our citizens have been opened and their view of politics broadened. They now can vote for the best party for Singapore, not the only party that they know about. This has allowed them to take part in political activities more vigorously and with greater understanding. A direct consequence of this is that policies are now more carefully considered in order to avoid any possible confrontations with the more politically-savvy voters. Thus, policies implemented more often than not cater to the needs of the public more efficiently creating benefits for the people and Singapore.
The last benefit would be socially. Singaporeans have benefitted greatly from education. The GDP per capita has risen tremendously as has our standard of living. Now over 90% of the population owns their own home, a remarkable feat for any country. In addition, jobs are easier to find than in other countries as our education system prepares us well for the rigors of the workforce. Thus, our education system has benefitted us on a micro level socially as well as on a macro level economically.
Now surely the supposed detriments of this fine education system will never be able to outweigh the benefits right? Allow me to present the detriments to you before you make your judgment.
The single biggest detriment present in the education system of today is the tremendous amount of pressure that it places on students and parents to excel. This is of course made worse by cultural influences, but the main part of the blame must be placed on the education system. In the last decade, the number of school going children and teenagers seeking counseling for depression and anxiety has also increased, due to in no small part the immense pressure that they face in school.
Unfortunately, the group suffering from this intolerable abuse is one with extremely limited reach. Students are unable to propose or bring about real change to the education system which they are part of. Instead, ministers sitting in plushy chairs in air-conditioned offices make these decisions for them. Any “student feedback groups” organized by schools are merely farces to keep us contented, to “assure us that our voices are being heard”.
There are those that would claim that the reason why students don’t have a say in the system which affects them is because they don’t know what is truly best for them and Singapore. They argue that Singapore’s education system is vital for retaining the small and only edge that we have over our many competitors. No one wants to place students under an inordinate amount of stress, but they argue that given the unique circumstances that Singapore is in, the education system is a necessary evil.
Their viewpoint is valid and must be acknowledged. However one must not ignore the darker side of the system that is so often portrayed as a gleaming success. The ends do not justify the means. It is the responsibility of the government to explore alternative and novel ways of educating our young, ways that will hopefully be less demanding, and stay true to the aims of education.
Students must have a life outside of school, to grow, to learn and to play freely. How can they do that when they practically live in school? School starts at 7, CCA ends at 6. Students have about an hour and a half in between for lunch and recess. There is also homework which can occupy a large part of the very little amount of time that a student has to him or herself. Even on the weekends there is tuition and church and even CCA in some cases.
While the highly competitive nature of the education system has managed to push students to do the very best they can achieve, it has also placed them under tremendous stress to do so. Tuition class, remedial and even CCA. This combination turns even more potent under the high pressure environment that most students live under. Add pressure from well meaning parents into the equation, and this situation becomes only more severe.While there are some students that flourish in such an environment, there is an equal number, if not more that simply cannot cope, and the education system must also cater to them.
To conclude, while the education system has been successful thus far, we need to evaluate it to see if the benefits really do outweigh the detriments. I feel that while the “evil” education system does have it flaws, ultimately, it is still a necessary evil, considering the circumstances that Singapore is in. However, a necessary evil is still an evil and the government should spare no effort in trying to reach out to students as well as to revamp the system to make it truly more “student-friendly”.
Fin.
Arrivederci.
6:53 PM
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