School results my 2c. Again fully dependent on how the parents raise their child. Seriously. Apart from the occassional cleaner/bus driver/ taxi drivers son who gets scholarship/strikes it big in government/private service...generally its hard to see kids doing well without parental involvement.
<<No offence to any one in these occupations but thats the term the newspapers use for reporting as well>>
Parents have to sit down, find the time and teach their kids. Should never rely on tuition. It never works. And even if you have tuition you should have a hawks eye on the tutor and your kids and be prepared to sack the tutor if he/she is irresponsible.
My neighbour has a tutor for Eng/Math/Chi 3x a week. The tutor hardly makes it once a week. Its not possible for a child to progress without systematic tutoring from the parents/tutors.
There are some parents who wish this away by saying
1) "Hi ya my son only can do so much. So i cant pressurise him leh" Surely such case end up in Poly/ITE
2) Others who say "Let my child enjoy their childhood. I have the money. When the time comes if cannot go JC/U in spore, il send them to JC/U in USA/Oz land" This is ok since the parent has the money and ofcourse the child gets to go JC and later Uni. Possibly not a good upbringing as the parent is not present to back the child up at every situation in later life.
Im not suggesting to be a Tiger mum but yes you have to sit down with them daily. Im tired too. But i sit down with them daily and go through their work.
Its painful to see them work so hard.
Then how about school results? :(