Singapore students may be topping the charts in
mathematics, science and reading, but it is exacting a heavy
emotional price on them.
An international study suggests that Singapore
students, known worldwide for academic excellence, also experience
high levels of anxiety and have been exposed to bullying.
The findings emerged in a study by the Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which conducts the
triennial tests called the Programme for International Student
Assessment (Pisa). The study polled 540,000 students from 72
countries and economies to look at the connection between
well-being and achievement in the Pisa tests.
One question that the 5,825 Singapore students who were
polled did not have to answer was on how satisfied they were with
life, but their responses to the other questions revealed that most
were anxious about tests and grades.
Students were asked to respond to statements such as:
"I often worry that it will be difficult for me to take a test"; "I
worry I will get poor grades at school"; "I feel very anxious even
if I am well prepared for a test"; "I get very tense when I study
for a test"; and "I get nervous when I do not know how to solve a
task at school".
It emerged that their anxiety levels were significantly
higher than the OECD average for all five questions. For example,
66 per cent of students across all OECD countries said they were
worried about poor grades at school, but among Singapore students,
it was 86 per cent.
In Singapore, 76 per cent reported feeling very anxious
for a test even if they were well prepared, compared with the OECD
average of 55 per cent.
This could be related to the fact that Singapore
students were also more driven. One question asked if they wanted
to be top of their class. Some 82 per cent said they did. The OECD
average was 60 per cent.
The study found that students who reported they wanted
to do well in school performed better. On average, the most
motivated students scored the equivalent of more than one school
year higher in Pisa than the least motivated ones.
When asked to comment on the finding on test anxiety,
the Ministry of Education (MOE) said the 15-year-olds in Singapore
who were surveyed comprised largely of Secondary 4 students
preparing for their N- and O-level examinations.
"Hence... it is understandable that our students are
likely to be more anxious about doing well," it said, noting that
in the same survey, more than eight in 10 of Singapore's
15-year-olds also said they enjoyed learning science.
"So, we recognise that while our students are anxious
about doing well in examinations, their enjoyment in learning
science has not been dampened," it said.
Regarding the correlation between motivation and
stress, it acknowledged both sides of the coin. "Research has shown
that stress at appropriate levels can be a motivating force to
energise us for the challenges we face. That said, we recognise
that while there is no certainty of causality, having overly high
achievement motivation is also correlated with anxiety levels," it
said.
"Hence, while we are encouraged that our students are
highly motivated to learn and achieve, we are cognisant that this
must not come at the expense of their well-being," said the
ministry, adding that schools put in much effort to help students
understand the meaning of their learning, instead of focusing
solely on their achievements.
"Ultimately, stress and anxiety is a personal response
arising from one's expectations and the ability to manage
challenges. In the light of this, our schools focus on helping
students gain a wider perspective, looking beyond achievement, by
helping them manage their expectations and understand their
strengths and weaknesses. This will also help our students develop
more resilient and positive mindsets."
National Institute of Education don Jason Tan said the
finding on high anxiety levels is not out of step with a school
system that uses exams to channel students into different secondary
and post-secondary pathways. "To get ahead, a student has to not
only do well, but well above his peers. So it is not surprising
that our students are anxious about exams and grades," he said,
noting that in recent years, the MOE has introduced various
measures to lessen stress and anxiety.
"The changes to the Primary School Leaving Examination
scoring system and aptitude-based admission into post-secondary
institutions are among the measures that will hopefully lessen
anxiety and increase the enjoyment of learning among our
students."