Top Student or NOT?

Appalled by 'obsessive' study habits

Fri, Nov 28, 2008
The Straits Times

I REFER to last Friday's articles on the PSLE top scorers.

It was a pleasure reading of these delighted children, especially if they had overcome obstacles along the way. However, I was appalled by their study habits.

Two comments stood out. One student stopped her piano and tennis lessons months before to concentrate on the exams. The other studied close to midnight every day for months, taking only 15-minute breaks every two hours.

Is this something we should be proud of? Every article ended with a similar study tip, as if these methods are secrets to academic 'success'. I do not see anything to be learnt from this except the upsetting fact that Singaporeans think this is what makes a good student.

We all know Singapore culture thrives on exams and results, but this is bordering on obsessive. We are talking about 12-year-old children here, not college students.

In the whirlwind of good results, I am certain many have forgotten the others who were not top scorers. Some of these disappointed children, who studied hard and tried their best, will now try to emulate these perceived models of success, thinking they themselves did not do enough.

We need to ask ourselves if these are really the best models to follow and if we honestly want our children thinking they could have done better if they had stopped having fun, if they had locked themselves away, burning midnight oil.

Jessica Walker (Ms)