In regard to this article : http://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/05/asia/singapore-smartest-kids/index.html
Many people think Singaporeans are only exam-smart because they
blindly memorize and regurgitate. While that may apply somewhat to
lower levels (eg. PSLE and O levels), it doesn't apply so much to
higher levels, eg. A levels*, Olympiads, University levels. And at
all levels, standards continue to increase and bell-curves continue
to be steeper, due to increasing competition for academic
qualifications and jobs, both intra-nationally and inter-nationally
in an increasingly globalized context.
*Singapore A levels are, by some standards and for some subjects,
already more difficult than international A levels.
In short, it is overly simplistic and wrong to say Singapore
students are exam-smart merely because they blindly memorize. Blind
memorization alone is increasingly insufficient for A level papers
(eg. H2 Chemistry), and absolutely insufficient for Olympiads and
international competitions.
If Singaporeans always top the international rankings in
mathematics and science, and are truly intelligent instead of
blindly memorizing and regurgitation, why then (critics love to use
this argument), has Singapore produced no Nobel prize
winners?
One major reason (there are others of course), which appears to
have been overlooked by almost everyone else discussing this issue,
is the exceedingly pragmatic Singaporean culture when it comes to
money and career. (This holds true for other countries around the
world as well, but especially for Singapore where costs of living
continue to escalate amidst increasing competition from foreign
talent and rising rentals by greedy REITS, even as the Sing dollar
strengthens against other regional currencies... obviously there
are unethical parties, organizations and industries covertly
exploiting this, which is where all the money disappears to instead
of benefiting the population... but that's the topic for another
discussion altogether).
Whilst ideally (and arguably), the most brilliant minds in any
population should work and contribute to mankind's scientific
advancement, but here in Singapore, other than Medicine, almost all
the top students (who could have qualified for scientific careers)
prefer the hugely more financially lucrative careers of banking and
finance, law and other careers more profitable than in Science. The
kiasu-ism and kiasi-ism, fear of not earning enough to survive or
provide comfortably for your future family in increasingly
competitive Singapore, coupled relentless societal pressure (eg.
Hollywood glamorized Wall Street financial exploits, the
proliferation of Top 10 Richest in Singapore / Asia / the World on
the internet and social media), motivates one's greed to be the
elite cream of the crop, the top 5% elite stratum of society right
at the of society, in this dog-eat-dog, survival of the fittest,
rapidly globalizing Singapore.
In short, this is one of the very real, major reasons, one that has
been mostly overlooked and missed, why Singapore hasn't produced a
Nobel prize winner. Not that there aren't any Singaporeans
intelligent enough to do so, but that most Singaporeans strongly
prioritize financial security and career stability over a PhD
research career in the Sciences, which pays out a mere pittance of
a fraction compared to careers in banking and finance.
Banking and finance doesn't contribute anywhere as much benefit to
mankind, as compared to science, medicine and technology; but it's
where the money is, and therefore it's where most of the top
brains, minds and students in Singapore, choose to go.
