TODAYonline | Singapore | Taking the stress out of school

TODAYonline | Singapore | Taking the stress out of school

As an educator and a mother of three school-going kids, I naturally take a keen interest in all matters and policies related to education.

My first reaction to this bit of news? Skepticism.

After all these years of rote-learning and emphasis on grades/results, it's almost too impossible to believe that our education system's going to make a u-turn and focus on what matters most: the learning process and effectiveness of knowledge acquisition and retention.

I know too well how each individual has a different learning style and how there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to teaching and learning.

It would indeed be a paradigm shift if we suddenly decide to focus on the formative approach rather than a summative assessment that will ultimately determine the fate of each child. I for one suffered terribly because I detested examinations and never seemed to achieve much success in scoring good grades during these nerve-wrecking periods. But I noticed that I would get excellent grades for coursework subjects or project-based modules where I applied my knowledge and turned theory into application.

For those, like me, who perform better consistently but stumble at the final hurdle, an education system that emphasises less on academic achievements and results, and more on a holistic development, will definitely be a welcome change.

I'm all for the overhaul of our stringent and rigid education system. But right now, I'm just going to take a wait-and-see approach to see how it all pans out.