Term 3 Week 3

(1) Comment on the Janalle Lee's view on the education system in Singapore.


I agree with her view about the education system in Singapore. As I progress further in the education system, I find myself questioning less, and just accepting facts as they are. Many lessons indeed just require memorising of facts, and nothing more. An example would be of the Integrated Humanities(IH) in Hwa Chong. All the while I have just been required to have all the facts at the back of my hand, and by regurgitating the facts, I have been able to achieve an A1 standard. Even the teachers ask us to memorise and memorise and memorise, like it is the "holy" method of obtaining an A1.


Secondly, the development of our moral character has been fading out as I go to a higher grade. Morals cannot be taught, but instead only people can influence the ones around him to have the correct morals. Even if the moral values are reinforced in lessons, the lessons are often shunned and replaced with the more "practical" lessons of the core subjects, but is this the correct approach? One may be bankrupt and not have any possessions, but must never become morally bankrupt. Morals should be of the top priority, but a lot of us are getting the signals that even if you are a delinquent, as long as you excel in your studies, nothing else matters. 


As much as we hate to admit it, this is the situation of the Singapore education system, which will ultimately just produce robots with little or none creativity. No wonder the americans are generally the innovators of the largest brands in the world, with their independent and free education system that encourages creativity.


(2) Is an ideal education possible? Explain.


I feel that an ideal education is possible, but first the study oriented environment in Singapore should be abolished. Instead of having everyone being knowledgable in many things, we should just have people specialise completely in a subject or two, hence reducing the amount of time wasted in teaching the useless subjects that the students will probably never use for the rest of their adult life. This frees up time for daydreaming, or concocting up great ideas for the future, which will probably benefit us more.


The ideal education would be of the mix of moral and information being passed on to students. However, instead of morals being taught in class, I believe that bringing the students out for them to perform the morally correct actions themselves, and feel the joy in doing so, will be a much practical way. This will imprint the good feeling of doing the correct thing into the students' minds, hence making them repeat the action the next time.