The reason why people with a PSLE T-score of 260 try so hard to
squeeze themself into a prestigious school is so that they have a
better chance in performing better.
Think about it, in a top sec. sch., every student is a genius. This
pushes the '260 pupil' to continuously strive for better in order
to not be looked down upon. Stress, in moderation, is actually a
good thing.
If you're in a neighbourhood school, you're going to be the highest
scoring student. You end up thinking that you could pass every test
easily since you're in a school for idiots. You grow lacking in
motivation to do better since you're constantly surrounded by
idiots. In the long run, you fall and lag behind before stumbling
academically.
Factors like the percentage of 'Ah Bengs' in neighbourhood schools
vs. the amount of 'Ah Bengs' in prestigious schools also come into
play here. A student is more likely to be influenced to do naughty
things in a neighbourhood school since more gangsters come out of
neighbourhood schools than from the top schools, right?
Besides, rising to assume a leadership role is not academically
biased. You may be underperforming academically, but this certainly
won't reduce your chances of being elected as a prefect.
Plus, in neighbourhood schools, teachers are subpar compared to in
prestigious schools. This affects the output of students: whether
they are eligible to move on towards institutes of higher learning
or not.
Prestigious schools aren't called thus for no reason, you know.
It is not true that the teachers in neighbourhood secondary
schools are subpar.
There is a teacher in a neighbourhood school with 3 PHD degrees
(he can even teach in an university) but he chooses to teach in a
neighbourhood secondary school and he also chooses not to be
transferred to the so called prestigious schools hor.
Not all good teachers wish to be transferred to teach in these
prestigious schools. There are excellent teachers who choose to
remain in the neighourhood schools to help the students from the
humble backgrounds hor.
