SINGAPORE: Singapore must do more to break away from seeing education as an “arms race”, Education Minister Desmond Lee said in parliament on Thursday (Sep 25).
The Ministry of Education (MOE) will therefore take steps to study how to reduce the stakes in exams, focus on non-academic aspects of the school experience, and guard against “hothousing” by families with more resources.
MOE will look at ways to refresh the education system in line with the spirit of the government’s Forward Singapore agenda, said the minister.
“Exams like the (Primary School Leaving Examination) should not remain a high-stakes checkpoint for students that is viewed as a determining factor for the trajectory of the rest of their lives,” said Mr Lee.
“Instead, we will focus on the more important aspects of our children’s experiences in school – developing life skills, interpersonal relationships, good character and values, and more.”
“In the working world, we all know that grades might still get you through the door, but how you are as a person determines how you do,” he added.
MOE will therefore increase its emphasis on character and citizenship education and co-curricular activities, which are “just as important, if not more important, than academic grades”.
“We must also guard against the opportunity gap in our education system, where families with more resources hothouse their children to give them a leg up in school, while children from lower-income families face an uphill battle,” said Mr Lee.
MOE will provide better support to lower-income students by enhancing resources for schools and deepening partnerships with parents and the community.
