Singapore: Primary School Overhaul

Education is my passion. Yesterday, I wrote to REACH, the Singapore Government's official feedback unit giving my views on the recent changes in the Singapore primary school, some of which I have blogged earlier (see my previous post). Below, I reproduce the full text:

"To recap, in the diagnosis of the Singapore education system, it has been found that it is too exam-oriented. That's why the new Minister of Education decided we needed to re-balance the system.

I am surprised therefore that MOE has not mentioned anything about exams in its initiatives. It seems to me the panacea is not addressing the root cause. I wonder when is it that MOE will realise that assessment/exams is an integral part of education.

Incorporating all the other changes is good, but it is not enough. Parents will not be convinced to support the new programme if the PSLE remains a Damocles sword hanging over their heads. This is the reason why the school system in Singapore is examination-oriented. Parents have little choice if they want their children to survive the school system here.

The same approach was taken when "Teach Less Learn More" was introduced and we all know now how parents responded - remember the litany of complaints that "nothing" is taught in school? With the new programme, I can only see more tuition centers fluorishing as schools aim to provide that well-rounded education which is not appreciated by most parents. There might even be more complaints from parents about schools not doing enough while the teachers are already tearing their hair out and walking the tight rope to meet the demands of MOE. It's a classic case of mismatched expectations. Ultimately, it's the students who will end up more stressed than ever.

There are many ways how we can place students in secondary schools. There are many ways how we can tweak the PSLE, if there is no derring-do to have a sweeping change, so that the end result is less emphasis on exams.

For a tweak, we can do away with having a single score for the PSLE. Really, is a student who scores 272 better than one who scores 270? WE know it is probably not true but the child is conditioned to think that way and it is not healthy. It leads to extreme competitiveness and an unbalanced life for the child.

Simply adopt the O level format, go by the number of A*, A etc. Too many students scoring 4A*'s? Then give schools the flexibility to choose students. This will introduce subjectivity to the selection system and then maybe parents and students will re-orientate their thinking and be less exam-focused.

Another variation is to have a mix of centralized exam and school-based assessment, to make up the final grade.

If we opt for more sweeping changes, we can forgo “streaming” as it is understood now. Students need not be streamed into Express, NA an NT strictly. This is a broad-brush approach, using the PSLE as the tool.

Instead, we can adopt the modular approach instead such that students can choose to take more advanced modules for the subjects they are good at and vice versa. Their aptitude is determined by their teachers who are well-qualified to be the judge. In the long run, this builds up the self-esteem of students and truly ensure that every individual reaches his maximum potential. The PSLE which is primarily a placement exam will then be made redundant.

As I say, if there’s a will to re-look at the PSLE, there are many ways that we can improve on the system."