Exams or No Exams?
The recent move to reduce the number of examinations in Singapore schools got many people talking. Supporters are all for nurturing the joy of learning through less focus on grades; opponents have said that the move encourages a generation who will shy away from competition. The two camps have provided valid reasons to support their points of view.
But exams or no exams, more important is this: Is our education system preparing our children with the right skills and knowledge for the future? If our education system is effective and clear about the kind of citizens it wants to nurture, then having more or fewer exams may not be the issue here.
In a recent survey, 68% of the people in China think that their secondary and tertiary education systems have provided them with the right level of tech skills and knowledge to help them navigate the digital future. The Chinese are by far the most optimistic among the 10 countries surveyed.
I wonder what Singapore’s percentage will be if our students are included in the study. By the time our students complete their tertiary education, they would have spent at least 13 years in school. That’s a long time – not to mention a lot of investment from the students themselves, their families and the state.
And that better mean something good.
Angeline Tong is an architect of narratives and Chief Curator at HOL, an experience strategy and curation consultancy. Angeline has a Master of Education (Human Development & Psychology) from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Museum Studies from Harvard University. She currently resides in Singapore.
To contact Angeline, email atong@hol.sg
