In wake of the recent PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination) results that had been announced a few days ago, the internet has taken to reviving the memes and jabs (yes, all that for an exam taken by twelve-year-olds) surrounding the overblown importance of the examination—and rightly so. The PSLE examinations, taken by students in their sixth year of schooling at the end of their ‘primary school’ education, determines the next school these twelve-year-olds will end up studying in. That may not sound horrifying at all, but for most kids in Singapore, it’s a decision that carries enormous weight.
Earlier this year, an 11-year-old boy committed suicide after failing his exams; choosing death over confronting his parents on his failed papers. His mother then cried that she “only expected 70 marks” when the body was found, and it has been reported that she would cane him ‘lightly’ if he got less than that. Though these cases are in no way frighteningly common, they have happened before and despite the fact the overall suicide rate in Singapore has gone down, the number of suicides among youths have only gone up.
There were 27 youth suicides this year, which may not seem like much in comparison to other statistics in the world such as in the US. However, it must be noted that Singapore’s population size is drastically smaller than even the state of Indiana, so higher figures based on the number of deaths would be much more worrying. The fact that the numbers are escalating at all has alerted the local community of the pressing issue.
Suicide statistics do not show the direness of the culture that places academic success above all else, but it is the biggest and worst indicator of all.
Expectations differ from family to family, but it is the norm for students to be sent to ‘tuition’ classes (extra classes outside of long school hours where one supposedly learns skills that aid them in their examinations) and for those in primary school, are pressed into getting a score over 200 to qualify for the Express stream as opposed to the Normal (Academic) stream in secondary school. In other words, the pressurizing environment is more common than not and is toxic for growing children.
The only difference between the two ‘streams’ is that the Express stream completes the secondary school education in four years as the supposed five. Yet, many of us hold the Express stream to a higher standard despite the fact that the same O-level examination is taken at the end of both. In addition to that, there’s the pressure of getting into the right school, which some deem as even more important due to the supposed better standards and learning environment surrounding the prestige of more elite schools.
To be fair, the government has done their part in trying to undo the stigma of this attitude. In 2012, the Ministry of Education stopped announcing the top scorers in the examination, an award that creates much hype and recognition for the top student and disappointment in many others. In 2021, the MOE will scrape the aggregate scoring system too, instead replacing it with grade bands; a broader grading system that’s less specific and less burdening.
Schools this year emphasized and acknowledged the achievements of students besides high scores and citizens have taken to the internet to encourage students not to lose hope no matter the grade. The MOE have also put out advertisements emphasizing effort over the final result. However, this ‘kiasu‘ attitude we have been labeled with continues to exist because parents continue to turn to websites to compile unofficial lists of top scorers even after the government has stopped. There is still work to be done.
At an international level, suicide due to academic pressure is nothing new. But here, the effects are worsening and the efforts to put an end to the culture before it turns too drastic to undo are necessary and obvious.
More open discussion on the topic has begun and programs by schools to aid those in need are popping up but we cannot expect to change the attitude towards schooling and success by relying only on external efforts. It must begin at home. Children should be taught that hard work and effort is more important than their results. Parents should not put their children down when they don’t do well, but help them improve and encourage them not to give up.
We must make it understood that grades are only one kind of measure and not an indicator of their material success of any sort. That children are not worthless because their report cards are not filled with As. People at home, in the community, and in school must work collectively to create an environment in which children learn that their self-worth and life value will never be based on red marks and papers.
