EDUCATIONAL IDEALS NO MATCH FOR PRAGMATISM   

This is my letter published in the Voices column of the Today newspaper in Singapore on 29 September 2012.

(Background: In the keynote address at the Ministry of Education work-plan seminar, on 12 September 2012, Singapore's Minister for Education, Mr Heng Swee Keat,elaborated on the four key attributes of a Student-Centric, Values-Driven Education: (1) “Every Student, an Engaged Learner” regardless of background or ability, to be supported by; (2) “Every School, a Good School”; (3) “Every Teacher, a Caring Educator”; and (4) “Every Parent, a Supportive Partner”.)

Despite our Education Minister's good intentions in his new initiatives, I worry that his four slogans would be paralysed by hard realities.

"Every student, an engaged learner" is more likely to remain as every student fully engaged to try to become an exam expert. "Every school, a good school" would probably not supersede every school being an examinations centre.

"Every teacher, a caring educator" may not replace the impression that every teacher seems to care more about worksheets. And "every parent, a supportive partner" makes us smile because every parent is more likely to support the tuition industry.

The Education Ministry is taking on forces it cannot tackle by itself, with three interlinked structural factors working against it.

First, our society is materialistic. Much of human activity here is channelled to generate wealth and economic growth. So, education's main aims are seen as vocational and economic.

Higher qualifications are deemed as a passport to good jobs with good pay and a comfortable life.

If only good exam grades get you into good tertiary institutions, then that is the priority, never mind the learning.

Second, meritocracy is deemed as one of the irrevocable tenets of our society's success. Unfortunately for pupils, meritocracy is defined narrowly as academic excellence. Thus, exam expertise becomes the most important skill needed to be a winner in Singapore.

Third, our national psyche is centred on pragmatism, a realistic approach that is concerned with life as it is and not as it should be. A pragmatic society's values are dictated by the country's prevailing social, political and economic conditions.

If the key to material fulfilment and to endorsement by our meritocratic system is exam expertise, then the whole education process would predictably be hijacked into one great effort of strategising for maximum exam results.

The acquisition of life and social skills, critical thinking, cultural and moral values can practically be dismissed as trivial.

But the more effort, time and money our pupils spend on honing exam skills, the less adequate they are likely to become mature, functioning, smart and moral citizens - a double whammy of high stress and poor preparation for life and employment.