Finally, something worth posting about...
Got that time trial thing for English back to day (the argumentative essay). 28/30!!! I thought it was 18 at first, then I looked again, and OMG 28. Damn happy :D
In Singapore, schools and universities have become increasingly focused on academic results. For primary schools, the final goal at the end of six years is to do well in the Primary School Leaving Examination, while for secondary schools, it is the ‘O’Levels. It is evident that the primary aim of education here is to achieve some form of qualification or certificate, because that is widely viewed as the only way to succeed in life. I disagree with this belief to a large extent.
Firstly, there are many ways to judge a person, and these indicators span across personality, moral character and various skills or talents. By using academic qualifications as a yardstick, all we can measure is perhaps an individual’s knowledge of textbook material and the amount of effort that they put into studying. Being outstanding in these respects might have guaranteed success in the past, but today’s world is more focused on innovation and enterprise. How well you do in your examinations cannot reflect that. Employers are increasingly using interviews to hire people, and it is not enough to only have a diploma or degree anymore. Thus, even with good academic qualifications, one may not necessarily get far in life.
Secondly, academic success does not ensure success in life because doing well in your studies here usually means rote learning, memorizing textbook answers and doing repeated practices. This stifles creativity to a huge extent as students barely have enough time to question what they are learning. There is no chance to create, or think for themselves, because everything has to be done in the one correct way in order to score well in the examinations. Just look at two of the world’s most famous school dropouts - Thomas Edison who invented the light bulb and Bill Gates, creator of Microsoft - their achievements speak for themselves. They did not need any academic qualifications because they had their own passion for learning which is a much better motivator than a perfect grade point average could ever be. Hence, instead of helping someone become successful, focusing on academic qualifications sucks away the thirst for knowledge and the innate curiosity towards the world in general. Our senses and way of thinking are being dulled by the inflexibility of Singapore’s education system.
While the Singapore government has tried to introduce new programmes or modules to assess characteristics like leadership skills and problem-solving skills, these are all still enforced within the parameters of academic qualifications. To most students, they are just another subject that one has to do well in to graduate with good results. From this, we can see that the pursuit of academic excellence is so deeply ingrained in the nation’s mindset that change will not come easily.
However, people have argued that academic qualifications are the best way to compare people’s abilities. In a meritocratic country like Singapore, it is indeed important to have a common way to determine the best person for a job. Yet people tend to forget that their qualifications only help them get the job, and not keep it. During the recent recession, many of those retrenched were graduates from esteemed universities, as employers were looking at the usefulness of employees to the company, and not their academic prowess.
Moreover, one might say that exemplary academic qualifications can ease the way into more prestigious tertiary institutes for higher education. I beg to differ. While you may need straight ‘A’s to get into law or business schools, there are other disciplines such as the visual arts, performing arts and design that require only a portfolio or an audition. There are other ways to succeed in life besides becoming a lawyer, a doctor or an accountant with a hefty salary, which to many people here seem to be the pinnacle of success.
In conclusion, I feel that while academic qualifications are not completely useless, they are not crucial to how well a person does in life. It is far more important to know what exactly you want to do in life and to have the courage and passion to achieve it.
Of course lots of other stuff has happened since I last posted (i.e. choir, my birthday, choir, Valentine's, CNY, sleep-deprivation) but that kinda stuff happens to everyone XD. Got about RM1160 (all donated to my dad) and SGD360, which is not bad, though for some reason there were like 6 people who actually put RM4 in their red packets, which is so weird. Ohoh and going to Funan this Saturday to look at THE WACOM INTUOS4!!!
In Singapore, schools and universities have become increasingly focused on academic results. For primary schools, the final goal at the end of six years is to do well in the Primary School Leaving Examination, while for secondary schools, it is the ‘O’Levels. It is evident that the primary aim of education here is to achieve some form of qualification or certificate, because that is widely viewed as the only way to succeed in life. I disagree with this belief to a large extent.
Firstly, there are many ways to judge a person, and these indicators span across personality, moral character and various skills or talents. By using academic qualifications as a yardstick, all we can measure is perhaps an individual’s knowledge of textbook material and the amount of effort that they put into studying. Being outstanding in these respects might have guaranteed success in the past, but today’s world is more focused on innovation and enterprise. How well you do in your examinations cannot reflect that. Employers are increasingly using interviews to hire people, and it is not enough to only have a diploma or degree anymore. Thus, even with good academic qualifications, one may not necessarily get far in life.
Secondly, academic success does not ensure success in life because doing well in your studies here usually means rote learning, memorizing textbook answers and doing repeated practices. This stifles creativity to a huge extent as students barely have enough time to question what they are learning. There is no chance to create, or think for themselves, because everything has to be done in the one correct way in order to score well in the examinations. Just look at two of the world’s most famous school dropouts - Thomas Edison who invented the light bulb and Bill Gates, creator of Microsoft - their achievements speak for themselves. They did not need any academic qualifications because they had their own passion for learning which is a much better motivator than a perfect grade point average could ever be. Hence, instead of helping someone become successful, focusing on academic qualifications sucks away the thirst for knowledge and the innate curiosity towards the world in general. Our senses and way of thinking are being dulled by the inflexibility of Singapore’s education system.
While the Singapore government has tried to introduce new programmes or modules to assess characteristics like leadership skills and problem-solving skills, these are all still enforced within the parameters of academic qualifications. To most students, they are just another subject that one has to do well in to graduate with good results. From this, we can see that the pursuit of academic excellence is so deeply ingrained in the nation’s mindset that change will not come easily.
However, people have argued that academic qualifications are the best way to compare people’s abilities. In a meritocratic country like Singapore, it is indeed important to have a common way to determine the best person for a job. Yet people tend to forget that their qualifications only help them get the job, and not keep it. During the recent recession, many of those retrenched were graduates from esteemed universities, as employers were looking at the usefulness of employees to the company, and not their academic prowess.
Moreover, one might say that exemplary academic qualifications can ease the way into more prestigious tertiary institutes for higher education. I beg to differ. While you may need straight ‘A’s to get into law or business schools, there are other disciplines such as the visual arts, performing arts and design that require only a portfolio or an audition. There are other ways to succeed in life besides becoming a lawyer, a doctor or an accountant with a hefty salary, which to many people here seem to be the pinnacle of success.
In conclusion, I feel that while academic qualifications are not completely useless, they are not crucial to how well a person does in life. It is far more important to know what exactly you want to do in life and to have the courage and passion to achieve it.
Of course lots of other stuff has happened since I last posted (i.e. choir, my birthday, choir, Valentine's, CNY, sleep-deprivation) but that kinda stuff happens to everyone XD. Got about RM1160 (all donated to my dad) and SGD360, which is not bad, though for some reason there were like 6 people who actually put RM4 in their red packets, which is so weird. Ohoh and going to Funan this Saturday to look at THE WACOM INTUOS4!!!