SINGAPORE: Two students from New Zealand and Australia shared on a Reddit forum, r/SGExams, that they were ‘culture shocked’ by Singapore’s education system.
Both students, who moved here with their parents a few years ago, shared how the extreme competitiveness of Singapore’s education system was a big contrast to the more laid-back school vibe back home.
They felt overwhelmed by the constant pressure to do well, something they weren’t used to in New Zealand and Australia.
New Zealand student’s challenges
The Kiwi student, who moved to Singapore about eight years ago at age 10, shared that he never imagined his life would take such a drastic turn when his parents enrolled him in the local school system.
“Never would I think that my life would become more of a living hell,” he expressed.
He explained that Singapore’s education system operates on a “survival of the fittest” principle, where only the strongest and most determined students can succeed.
“When I fully realized the urgency of the situation and that I needed to score to survive, it was too late: I had scored a 206 for my PSLE because I did not work hard enough,” he lamented.
Realizing he’d have to fight to stay on track, he studied relentlessly, often putting in many hours each day and eventually achieving straight As.
“The more I got straight As, the more I was convinced that I had to excel. And so I worked even harder with an undying conviction and determination to score,” he said.
However, this relentless pursuit of perfection came at a cost. Over time, the pressure to maintain top grades began to weigh heavily on his mental health.
He found himself having frequent breakdowns, overwhelmed by stress and the constant need to perform
“I was often overwhelmed with anxiety, for I knew well that the rule here was survival of the fittest,” he said.
He also highlighted three particularly difficult moments in his journey:
- When he scored just ‘1 point off from his desired score’ in his O-levels
- When his grades in the mid-year examinations during junior college dropped and
- The months leading up to the A-levels
“The months leading up to the A levels were probably the hardest I’ve ever studied in my entire life.
Hours of grinding practice papers, crying, mental breakdowns, screaming, and self-doubt, all so I could survive,” he said.
Despite these struggles, he has remained determined to push through. He shared that he plans to leave for Australia next year to pursue his university education.
Australian student’s challenges
The Australian student, on the other hand, mentioned that he moved to Singapore with his family five years ago.
His parents initially planned to send him to an international school, but after he passed the ‘fake PSLE test,’ they decided to try the local education system instead.
They saw it as a great opportunity since Singapore’s education system ‘is world-renowned, and if he didn’t cope well, they could always switch him back.’
“That decision changed my life. I entered a local secondary school and had the biggest culture shock of my life. It’s crazy how hardworking and academic-oriented SG students are…
I have so much respect for everyone here in local schools,” he wrote.
“Going from some of the most ‘chill’ countries in the world, like AUS and NZ, to among the most ‘fierce’ countries was a crazy eye-opening experience.
The difficulty of SG’s national examinations only loses to the likes of China, South Korea, and India.”
However, despite recognizing the intense competition, his perspective differed from that of the New Zealand student.
“I would never describe my experience as hellish. Rather, I thoroughly enjoyed this experience, and I am grateful for having this opportunity to go through the two extreme education systems of the East and the West.”
Singapore is ranked third for having the toughest education system
As the Asia Education Review reported, Singapore holds the third spot in a global ranking of the toughest education systems.
The thorough index considered various factors, including the structure of the education system, the difficulty of national examinations, the level of tertiary education attainment, the most popular degree, the acceptance rate of the premier college, and the average national IQ scores.
In terms of IQ, Singapore boasts the highest average IQ of 106.18 in Southeast Asia, according to the International IQ Test. This ranking is based on data collected from over 1.6 million individuals worldwide.
Globally, Singapore ranks 5th, followed by Vietnam (2oth), Malaysia (38th), Thailand (53rd), Myanmar (61st), the Philippines (70th), Cambodia (75th), Laos (93rd), and Indonesia (95th).
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)