CNA | Talking Point | E19: Singapore education reforms - What do parents, students feel about it?

This week, in a special episode of Talking Point, a group of parents and students get real about the slew of changes to Singapore's education system. Unknown to them, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung is there to address their feedback.

About the show: Talking Point investigates a current issue or event, offering different perspectives to local stories and revealing how it all affects you.

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[lindalim]

Instead of just focusing on “exam or not exam” to reduce the need for tuition, What we need is smaller class size so that Teachers are able to spend enough time to not just teach but also coach each student so that no one will be left behind. Our Teachers today don’t have sufficient time to truly bond with their students and truly treat them as individuals instead of a “class”.

[ybbolb]

The minister came out too early. It's hard to have a candid discussion with him around.

[AndricChia]

This discussion is so open and it is so amazing! CNA needs to do this open discussion more often!

[afiframadhan]

Instead of focusing on the topic they are talking about, I should admire how smart the parents are. They able to express their opinion effectively without a meaningful barrier.

[yeezhihao]

We should be so grateful minister ong has the right passion and attitude toward education

[pspsps]

Psle is nthing when u finish it, there r many more exams after that

[mamemo]

His daughter asked for tuition because she couldn't keep up. The minister needs to ask why so many students can't keep up in school that they or their parents feel that tuition is necessary.

[lindalim]

Another flaw in our education system is that we create the illusion that everyone in Singapore is born “perfect” since we don’t allow diversity in terms of special needs and those with disabilities to integrate or even “exist” in all schools. To drive“efficiency”, it is at the expense of the dignity of the less fortunate. The result is that many students in regular schools (99%) are awkward and don’t even know how to interact or help one another when they are out in the real world where it is not all “perfect”. By segregation, we are not including all and ensuring everyone has the right to feel they belong as an equal in our society, we are not allowing our kids to truly embrace and practice Diversity & Inclusion. Rather, we led some into expecting “Straight As” is the norm, anyone scoring less is a loser, failing is unacceptable and if you are not perfect, you are unforgivable and has no right to exist.

[angelamagnus]

This minister got 1st class honor at LSE. I am so jealous of him.

[lindalim]

We need our government to be pragmatic in supporting the biz yet stay focus on Singaporean’s future first. From a HR professional perspective, We need to immediately allow more Singaporeans not just TOP students to study computer analytics/courses and be equipped with the hot skills that are in demand globally if we want to close the skill-job GAP we are facing today and Ensure our people continue to be relevant and employable in the future. There are too many vacancies yet we don’t offer more such courses and provide more such Earn as you learn job opportunities to train and close the skill GAP. In fact, computing should be a compulsory subject from primary school.

[thegoonist]

diana too extra. just get to the point. issue here is we live in a competitive, capitalistic, globalised world where the best survive. the reduction of stress will not help kids become tougher to compete in the global marketplace in the long run. the only way to sell this is that reducing exams in fact IMPROVES the child's education. theres a few ways to argue this. 1 way was mentioned: less exams = more time for teachers to teach better = smarter kids. another way is less exams = less implicit emphasis BY THE SYSTEM in exams (not necessarily by parents, but it is hoped that the govt taking the lead/setting an example of where their values/principles lie will change parents' minds in the long run) = more room to fail = more creative students = more entrepreneurs/or citizens who are able to adapt in a quickly changing global market where creativity is increasingly valued vs. rote-learning. another way maybe that less exams = more time to do other stuff = more creativity/love for learning etc., with the same outcome of more creative, competitive citizens who are better equipped to compete in the global marketplace.

[ajisenramen]

Please return “ good citizenship” to our curriculum. The one where we learn about Singaporeans of every race language and religion. Understanding leads to acceptance and we stand united as SINGAPOREANS.
It’s so scary to see what is happening around us with the radicalisation of many youths in the region.
We need to teach them to fact check as well as respect for our country our family unit and our fragile peace.

[lindalim]

I also believe we need to move away from O and A levels towards IB curriculum for all the academic and more apprenticeship for all students starting from Secondary to prepare them to be more worldly and employable not only bookish and sheltered.

[dadsonworldwide]

Its scary how some countrys around asia has kids basically in class for 15 hrs a day.
the mind must be handicapped from creative thinking out side the box.

[paullim]

Wow...sooo constructive and open frank session...our Ministers are top class...God bless...Amen

[kvrscience]

as a teaacher from india, this kind of discussion should go in our country also. but our politicians are not on par with these fellows

[pspsps]

Honestly teachers r gonna hv the hardest time

[senng]

17:22 Host interrupts the Education Minister...

[jimw]

It's unfortunate, no one focus on learning and applications. What are the exams for computer games, sports, music, ....? There are music performance, sports competition, art exhibitions, ... why students stop studying after exam? They are not interested in learning. They are only studying to do well in exam.

[Happy-vfd]

They missed out an important factor: school principal