Singapore's Failed Education System

[TracyTan866]

To sum up your comments, just look at the Singaporeans of today, their achievement and then make your own judgment. Is our education system a failure? Forthrightly, I will say yes, without any doubt.

I agree with you.

SG students study hard but they dont get a good education. A great example is from LKY who maintains that our political leaders are our best and that they need obscene salaries to get them to serve and to stop them from being corrupt. That is the greatest indictment against SG Education System. What else need be said?

 

[Conqueror]

A Very Good Question Here !

What's your understanding and definition of an "Education System". At least we have a term of reference.

I almost have all this figure out and it encompasses many aspects. If I list them out as a curriculum for all primary and secondary schools, there's a possibility that as much as 80 to 90% may not pass their exams. The question is what is needful ? And what is optional ?

 

[vamjok]

Like eatshit, I have no concern about our technical education. That I am confident has kept up with the times. But I am extremely disturbed by the lack of education in the other areas amply demonstrated in this latest by-product of our education system. Every post written by this forummer had been filled with vulgarity, rudeness and totally deficient of graceful cultivation.

kan ni na bu chao chee bye

i hate people like you that always act high up and holy.

.|..

 

[vamjok]

Result is only one part of an education system. Values, integrity, empathy, compassion, teamwork, fortitude, character, care for others, teamwork, excellence, etc are outcomes of an education system.

when i step out in the school i realized holding on to these values will get you killed and you would not survive long in the society, regardless i am in US or in Sg. Stop living in your dream. You reminds of of idiots that just graduated out from NUASS/ANTIU without any working experience. Full of idealistic bullshit but cannot get a single shit done. Typical useless arts graduate (out of 10 at most only 1 with substance), full of talks and dreams.

 

[vamjok]

To me a place to get perfect education is bloody step out in the society and work. All the rest is just bloody bullshit and empty talks.

 

[steffychun]

The PAP and MOE have tried to praise Singapore's Education System by selectively highlighting its achievements. But discerning Singaporeans know that the Singapore system has failed to deliver quality education to Singaporeans.

1. Students

Singapore students are stressed. At primary level, students are expected to perform in Maths, Science, English and Mother Tongue. But the system cant cope and most students have to take tuition to supplement what they receive from their school. Is this what we expect from a good system? Many students chose Poly and refuse the A level route despite scoring 6 points for six best subjects. Has MOE wondered why this trend? Instead of getting to the root cause of this preference, MOE came out with Integrated Programme to lock the students in from Sec 1...But this seemed to have failed. CME is not value and character education but is a means of indoctrinating young minds and glorifying the pap. No wonder many students are turned off CME

2. Teachers

MOE is able to recruit many teachers but cant retain them.. Many quit after serving their PDGE bond and prefer to work as Adjunct or Flexi teachers. Has MOE found out why this trend? Teachers are stressed by non teaching duties,...eg Admin, WITs, SEM, Climate Survey, CCAs, job enlargement duties, etc. Many teachers are demoralised. Is this healthy?

3. School Leadership

Principals are afraid of parents, MOE and media. They sought to appease these stake holders rather than do what is right for the students. They also prefer programmes that bring immediate glory to the school...as that look good for their SARs rather than invest in truly important programmes that bring in long term good that benefit the students and Singapore. What has LEP taught these school leaders?

4. MOE

Has MOE failed to direct the schools to the right focus? Otherwise, why is the SG Education System in such a mess?

5. Consequences

a. High student suicide rate
b. Students suffer unnecessary stress
c. Poor teacher retention rate causing loss of experience and expertise
d. Many students are left behind because their parents cant afford tuition to bridge the gap created by the schools.
e. Singaporeans are not equipped for the real world

I hope that Opposition MPs will ask abt the high suicide rate of Singapore students during parliament and compel HSK to speak the truth and reveal the reasons for high suicide rate. Maybe then will MOE and the Schools help lessen this problem

I agree that the MT part should be changed or even scrapped but would you want an American style system, no other grading system but SATs?

 

[TracyTan866]

Re: A Very Good Question Here !

I almost have all this figure out and it encompasses many aspects. If I list them out as a curriculum for all primary and secondary schools, there's a possibility that as much as 80 to 90% may not pass their exams. The question is what is needful ? And what is optional ?

good figuring!!!

 

[TracyTan866]

kan ni na bu chao chee bye

i hate people like you that always act high up and holy.

.|..

Fook Seng is right...your value shows through what comes out from your mouth

 

[TracyTan866]

when i step out in the school i realized holding on to these values will get you killed and you would not survive long in the society, regardless i am in US or in Sg.

You may be right theoretically.

I still hold on to values I believe are right. I have not been killed and I am at peace.

So are you right? or am I right?

You didnt get killed too...but you seem to be simmering with anger. Why?

 

[TracyTan866]

Stop living in your dream. You reminds of of idiots that just graduated out from NUASS/ANTIU without any working experience. Full of idealistic bullshit but cannot get a single shit done. Typical useless arts graduate (out of 10 at most only 1 with substance), full of talks and dreams.

Yes, I still live my dream. I have been working for a few years and am doing very well. I try to be as idealistic as possible. Is that bad? Is that wrong?

 

[TracyTan866]

Full of idealistic bullshit but cannot get a single shit done..

Being idealistic is different from incompetent.

It's great to be idealistic and competent. It's bad to be idealistic but incompetent. So you really need to know which category you are refering to.

Dont just bad mouth idealism

 

[TracyTan866]

Typical useless arts graduate (out of 10 at most only 1 with substance), full of talks and dreams.

I am sorry that you have such negative view of BA graduates. Could it be the curriculum or system that is at fault?.

hence my thread!

 

[TracyTan866]

To me a place to get perfect education is bloody step out in the society and work. All the rest is just bloody bullshit and empty talks.

SG's formal Education System is to prepare Singaporeans in their different roles. Looks like you feel that the system has failed and you think that real education starts when a person goes to the work place

 

[TracyTan866]

I agree that the MT part should be changed or even scrapped but would you want an American style system, no other grading system but SATs?

You are right abt the MT. To me Education is more than just getting grades and grading systems...it's much more.

 

[Nice-Gook]

To me a place to get perfect education is bloody step out in the society and work. All the rest is just bloody bullshit and empty talks.

Why the need for a school where students from all walks of life and varying social background gathers to study in one particular ground?.....so that mundane technicalities can be drummed into their heads?If you were taught to believe this; than there could not be a better proof that our educational system had indeed failed.

Because the whole idea of bringing a colorful variety of humanity under one roof is to recreate the outside works.Of course,there are safety valves in a schooling environment that prevents a very young getting burnt or ruined as if thrown out to the wolves raw in an outside world environment.At least,that is what I learnt in my boarding school environment--how to sneak out in the nights and be back before the next morning.Or how not be caught by the warden and slip things right under his nose.Some even smoked while the teacher was conducting the class by dispersing the smoke from each puff before the teacher turns to face the class.....not to mention how to survive the pecking order that very much exist in an outside world.

If you follow some of the TV serials on American high school living---they don't feature how a teacher educate a student but the life drama that unfolds; and there are many such serials and movies.Why?Because the growing pain of socializing in a school system is a major part of schooling.Whereas getting some technicalities as a syllabus beaten into your brain is just one part of it...In fact,if you go to school to just to acquire the syllabus required of you ; you can skip school.I am not kidding, myself had tutored a student who was unable to attend school during his 'O' level--8 months of the 10.Tuition only twice a week.His 'O' level results ,3 A,even shocked the principal because they insisted him not to take the exams; for fear his result will drag down the entire cohort.I am no great tutor but taught him to believe in himself.

Our educators are treating schools like a factory.In goes students and out comes paper results that they can brag about.If they see any student not performing to their expectations,than the whole system comes down heavy on the kids-culling them like a weed.Exactly as how they run our economy--only the GDP counts,nothing else.

 

[TracyTan866]

Why the need for a school where students from all walks of life and varying social background gathers to study in one particular ground?.....so that mundane technicalities can be drummed into their heads?If you were thought to believe this; than there could not be a better proof that our educational system had indeed failed.

Because the whole idea of bringing a colorful variety of humanity under one roof is to recreate the outside works.Of course,there are safety valves in a schooling environment that prevents a very young getting burnt or ruined as if thrown out to the wolves raw in an outside world environment.At least,that is what I learnt in my boarding school environment--how to sneak out in the nights and be back before the next morning.Or how not be caught by the warden and slip things right under his nose.Some even smoked while the teacher was conducting the class by dispersing the smoke from each puff before the teacher turns to face the class.....not to mention how to survive the pecking order that very much exist in an outside world.

If you follow some of the TV serials on American high school living---they don't feature how a teacher educate a student but the life drama that unfolds; and there are many such serials and movies.Why?Because the growing pain of socializing in a school system is a major part of schooling.Whereas getting some technicalities as a syllabus beaten into your brain is just one part of it...In fact,if you go to school to just to acquire the syllabus required of you ; you can skip school.I am not kidding, myself had tutored a student who was unable to attend school during his 'O' level--8 months of the 10.Tuition only twice a week.His 'O' level results ,3 A,even shocked the principal because they insisted him not to take the exams; for fear his result will drag down the entire cohort.I am no great tutor but taught him to believe in himself.

Our educators are treating schools like a factory.In goes students and out comes paper results that they can brag about.If they see any student not performing to their expectations,than the whole system comes down heavy on the kids-culling them like a weed.Exactly as how they run our economy--only the GDP counts,nothing else.

Very well said. Many people who went through SG's Education system are very myopic and believe that it is the best and only system.

It's what a person become after gg through a system that show the quality of that system. Does the SG system produce the right kind of citizens, people we want?

 

[Fook Seng]

kan ni na bu chao chee bye

i hate people like you that always act high up and holy.

.|..

Don't have to act. You are who you are and it is probably a by-product of the education system. Feel hurt, jsn't it?

 

[TracyTan866]

Don't have to act. You are who you are and it is probably a by-product of the education system. Feel hurt, jsn't it?

Yes, we just be whom we are.

 

[Fook Seng]

Seems that you are just as confused as I am.:o

I am only confused in only one thing. What is your agenda in all this? I am very clear in what I want from here.

 

[Leongsam]

Very well said. Many people who went through SG's Education system are very myopic and believe that it is the best and only system.

It's what a person become after gg through a system that show the quality of that system. Does the SG system produce the right kind of citizens, people we want?

Are you a product of Singapore's education system?