Was in the train on the way back yesterday when I overheard a group of caucasians discussing Singapore's education system. Apparently our education system is magnifique because statistics show that blah blah blah(I admit, I forgot what was said But hey, I don't normally eavesdrop). Frankly, having graduated from secondary school I feel more or less qualified, at least to a certain extent, to pass judgement on Singapore's education system. Especially why it's not all it's cracked up to be.
Apparently, Singaporean students produce better results because our standard of education is high. That is to say, or at least, what the Government says, we learn things at an accelerated rate. In actual fact, we don't have much of a choice, really - not until we get to Primary 4(that's when we're ten, go figure out what grade it is yourself), where we're streamed into the EM1, EM2, or the EM3 streams. To cut the story short, if you're in EM1, you're considered smart. If you're in EM3, well, let's just say you're gifted in "other areas". The only difference between EM1 and EM2 though, is whether you're taking an additional Higher Mother Tongue subject. And not to forget the special GEP program that's meant for the child prodigies.
Either way, you're sent along your merry educational route for the next two years, at the end of which you'd be required to take a pretty major exam which decides which Secondary School you would be posted to. Again, you're streamed into the Special, Express and Normal streams. No prizes for guessing which is the academic elite. The Normal stream is again divided into two - Normal(Academic) and Normal(Technical). As the names suggest, Normal(Academic) is for the students who are more academically inclined while Normal(Technical) is for the students who are more practically inclined, e.g. woodwork. Both streams run for a full five years as compared to the four that's run by the Special and Express courses.
Now I don't know about you, but subjecting poor, innocent 12 year olds to such stress is unfathomable. Nothing to worry about? Kids have killed themselves worrying about the damn exam(literally), so there you go. While the exam isn't that important per se(it's only used to gain access to a good secondary school), parents being parents intentionally or perhaps unintentionally stress their children out as they urge their kids to make it to so-and-so elite school. Given that these parents are Singaporean... Oh my(Singaporeans are very well known for their kiasuness).
[Kiasu
(kee-ah-soo)
Hokkien adjective literally meaning, "afraid of losing". A highly pejorative description beloved of Singaporeans. Possibly our defining national characteristic. The nearest English equivalent is "dog in a manger", though even that is pretty mild.
"You went to get a handicapped sticker just to chope a parking space? How kiasu can you get?"]
... And "chope" literally means "reserve". But I digress. Back on topic. You would have thought that after such an exam - and having endured relentless nagging/bribing/death threats from their parents, no less - these kids would be given a break for, oh, ten years. But no, barely two years after they enter their secondary school of choice (or not), they're subjected to yet another streaming, this time determining the number of subjects the student would take for his 'O' levels two/three years later. Now, I wonder, what's with Singapore and streaming? Singaporean children are treated more like foodstuff in a high-quality packaging plant than humans - why else would you want to perform this many "quality checks"?
Fortunately for us, all becomes clear. The Ministry of Education(hereon referred to as MOE) was smart enough to include a really.. Interesting subject. Social Studies. Supposedly the purpose of such a subject is to educate the students about global infrastructure and how countries manage to survive; in reality, Social Studies is merely a thinly veiled source of propaganda intended to brainwash students who study it intensively. Read: Everyone. They've taught us one important thing though; Singapore's only natural resource are her people. And what better what to harvest your resource than by ensuring that what comes out is all cream? "Quality check", lah.
Add another two years and these students are again forced to sit for their GCE 'O' levels. I'm not sure what the standard is outside Singapore, but since Cambridge collaborates with MOE to set most of our papers, I'm guessing it's supposedly tougher since it's filled with the crap "accelerated learning" syllabus. Having just completed that particular exam myself, I have no wish to comment on it's level of difficulty. I don't even want to speculate about the results. So shush. Singapore's education system sucks. And before the authorities throw me into jail for gross misconduct(misrepresenting the country), I must add that other than an absurdly hectic/crammed/retarded education system, Singapore is indeed a lovely place. Oh, and feel free to browse around talkingcock.com for a more satirical view of Singapore. Especially our weird but endeared national language, Singlish. More in the Coxford Dictionary.
And finally... This entry was not meant to be taken seriously. (;
et another entry about how I think I'll fare badly in my O-levels. Strange, it seems as if nobody is even aware that the release of our results is just around the corner. Maybe they're too busy working. Or maybe I'm worrying too much. Anyway, having tired of worrying about how much I'd get, I've decided to come up with several contingency plans if I don't do well. Yeah, I'm quite a pessimist..
1. Retake the Os - Quite an obvious albeit expensive option. I'd only consider this if... Well, I'd consider this if I don't do well. Which is very likely.
2. Check whether I've got the right cert - I know I'm not stupid. I may not be academically inclined but I can't fall below my expectations, can I? After all, they aren't exactly very demanding expectations... Right? Sigh.
3. Forget about education in Singapore; study overseas - Refer to Contingency Plan No.1 Except that it's probably never going to be considered. Especially since the examination fees for me to resit the Os would be far less than a single plane ticket to Australia/Canada/Switzerland.
4. Forget about conventional education and enrol in an esteemed music school, attempting to master both the drums and the guitar in four years - I'd consider this if I had the cash; maybe several hotels full of hard cash, since I'd probably graduate and end up as a busker for the rest of my life. Not that busking is an unworthy job, just that I don't think I'd be good enough to be a good busker, therefore... being useless. Hence the gargantuan cache of money to fall back on.
5. Appeal to the relevant person(s) in charge of the course I'm interested in - One of the more sensible plans so far, I'd intended to put this one into action the moment I realised my grades weren't going to cut it, but I've just been informed that appeals aren't going to be paid any heed. Therefore, I shall camp at the office and stage a one-man protest, proclaiming the utter injustice of their actions(or inaction, in this case).
6. Complain to whoever'd listen that Singapore's education system is too tough - Of course, if I happened to come across anybody who did well, I'd just have to pretend that they didn't exist. Or grudgingly admit that they have a highly developed brain. Not that I don't, but...
7. Cry - Messy, unglam and ultimately useless, it still manages to serve as a deterrent since it ensures that nobody would approach me to ask me "what's wrong?", thereby reminding me of how I've managed to fuck myself up.
As you can see, I'm very pessimistic. I'm not even going to list Contingency Plan No.8, because although 8 is a lucky number, the Contingency Plan of that number isn't. Why? Because, Contingency Plan No.8 is... *drumroll* Death. No, not really. Hah. Someone save me
listen to Him.
Shavonne
CHRISTIAN
turning 17 on 20th november yr 2007
chung cheng high school [main]
girl guides X_x
1 Respect `03
2 Respect `04
3 Dilligence `05
4 Dilligence `06 ROCKS!
never gonna end :)
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i was lost but now im found.
19jun-cut hair, 4dl bbq?
20jun-super D alumni gathering
21jun-?
22jun-bbq
23jun-arrow!
24jun-mommy birthday
25jun-schl start
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a new laptop!
wacom tablet
guitar lessons. haha
good olvl results!!!
prisma colourpencils
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go TP & to e course i want :)
