My Opinion on the Problems of the Singapore Education
System
Written by:
Eric Chen (http://eric.rainbowhuman.com)
Minor inputs, refinements, and editing by:
Christopher Bok (chrisbok -at- pacific -dot- net -dot- sg)
Version 2.2.2
Created: 7 August 2002
Last Altered: 15 September 2002
Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Situation Now
3. Why do I write this?
4. Defining True Learning
5. Learning in the education system
6. An analysis of the mindset of the system
• Mindset: We are the best
• Mindset: System Oriented
• Mindset: The Elders or High-ranking people know better
• Mindset: Only professionals can have the say
• Mindset: Scarcity and Elitism
• Mindset: Syndrome-oriented
• Mindset: Kiasu-ism
• Mindset: The less disclosure the better
• Mindset: Grade Inflation little concern
• Mindset: Confusing school and work
7. What the System can do
8. What we can do
9. Conclusion
Introduction
I would like to express my personal opinion about the education
system in Singapore.
The education system has failed to achieve its Desired Outcomes
[http://www1.moe.edu.sg/desired.htm]. Despite what the system
publicly declares, it actually desires to maintain a mindset of
scarcity [such as with the concept of elitism] and to continue with
its old traditions, policies and mindset.
Faced with the intense incongruence of what it really wants to
achieve and what it publicly thinks it should achieve, it blunders
with its implementation, erring on the side of tradition. Engaged
in a state of denial, it vocalizes the desired outcomes more to
give others a good impression of itself rather than actually
believing and committing with them.
What do I mean by “personal”?
I understand that I have different ways of thinking and different
mindsets compared with most people. My comments only show my
perspective, not an absolute authoritative assessment of the
situation. I admit to have a certain level of subjectivity due to
my previous involvement in the system and my limited set of
experiences.
After graduating from it, I currently do not have direct interests
in the education system in Singapore. Unless invited, I do not wish
to have any direct involvement in the political affairs of the
education system except providing advice like this one. I have no
desire to dedicate my life to this area.
The Situation Now
Schools Today
What do we see when we go to school?
Teacher-originated Initiative
We see arrays of classrooms organized neatly, with a table in front
for the teacher, a chalkboard or whiteboard, and some other
accessories. When the class starts, the students sit in the rows of
tables and chairs and the teacher stands in front of the class
pointing at the whiteboard. Like a boss instructing his
subordinates, the teacher instructs the class on how to
learn.
Student initiative, unless expressly approved by the teacher,
appears at best as a distraction (such as putting up hands to ask
too many questions or reading other books during lesson) that the
teacher should squash. At worst, the school would consider it
disruptive behavior (such as skipping classes, doing other
activities in class) and wants it stopped immediately. As a
student, if you just do what your boss the teacher wants you to do,
and you would not get into trouble.
The meta-lesson: You, the student, does not matter.
System-originated Timetables
We see timetables organized in a schedule of discrete, uniform
chunks of time and (for higher institutes of learning) class
schedules arrayed in terms of semester.
No matter how mundane or important a subject, it has to fit into
the chucks of time called lessons allocated to it. You would only
have an hour to explore chapter 3 of Macbeth, or another hour to
explore ethics and morality, and then yet another hour to cover up
the introductory chapter of algebra.
You might want more or less, or a different subject, but the school
imposes its will. No matter if your cat died, if your favorite
soccer team won the World Cup, you won a cruise to the Amazon, or
you just feel like studying art, if the lesson plan writes
“Introduction to Fluid Dynamics”, then you will have this lesson no
matter you like it or not.
The meta-lesson: You, the student, does not matter.
Same pace studying
We see everyone studying the same subjects, at the same speed, in
the same way as the rest of their age group in the same stream. You
have little choice, and if you dare to speak up that, you have your
rights to learn as an individual, you would in effect rebel against
your school.
You the genius might finish everything in a week, but that would
only make the teacher unhappy. You might not like to, or do not do
well studying geometry, art, or Chinese, but “for your own good”
you must study these (the way the teacher wants you to). No matter
smart of stupid, hardworking, or lazy, scoring straight A’s or E’s,
you have some kind of equality knowing that you will study at the
same pace as your classmates.
Not only these, you also have to study these in the prescribe
manner (for most of the time). Deviate from rote memorization of
the notes, procedures or steps at your own risk.
The meta-lesson: You, the student, does not matter.
Rest of the article here: http://eric.rainbowhuman.com/article-Problems-of-Singapore-Education-System.php