Tuition may help, but academic success is really down to the student
Nov 29, 2008
Tuition may help, but academic success is really down to the student
I REFER to Ms Pamela Liu's letter on Wednesday, 'It's about who can find better tutors'. I was deeply hurt as her letter insinuated that good grades in the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) can be attributed solely to the affluence of the child's family, and therefore tuition.
First, I would like to congratulate Ms Liu's daughter on her good PSLE scores. As a student who completed my PSLE a couple of years ago, and got into one of the top schools in Singapore thanks to sheer hard work and determination, I would like to give my views on Ms Liu's claims.
First of all, what is the rationale for lamenting the education scene in Singapore, when she seems to be proud oft her child's score?
These are my deductions from Ms Liu's letter: that tuition equates to good grades, and greater affluence promises better education.
Let me clarify the first deduction. Ms Liu is sorely mistaken about the purpose of tuition. In her letter, she said: 'Those who have the money to employ tuition teachers will inevitably do better than their peers with equal academic ability.' Does she have the impression that tuition teachers are magicians who can instantly enhance the student's academic abilities with a stroke of their magic pen? Tuition is only a supplement, which ensures that the student spends more time on subjects that he is weak in.
As the saying goes, 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink'. Parents may do their part providing educational support for their children, and tuition teachers may provide guidance, but it is up to the child to use that tool to his benefit, by putting in sheer hard work.
My parents provided me with tuition during that crucial year. I seized that opportunity to spend more time on my weak subjects, paying close attention and diligently doing assessments. Some of my peers who had tuition did not necessarily get better grades. I also have peers who do not have stay-home parents, or tuition, but have made it to some of the top schools in Singapore with good PSLE results. This only goes to show that the effort by the student and the determination of the student is responsible for his grades, not anything else. Therefore, it is unfair of Ms Liu to depict tuition as exclusively responsible for a student's good academic performance.
Ms Liu claimed that 'PSLE measures more the family's ability to find and pay for good tuition teachers'. I beg to differ. Parents who arrange tuition for their children do so because they prioritise and put their child's needs first, as my parents did, not because they have cash to spare.
Ms Liu asked what would become of bright, promising but poorer students. The Government gives numerous subsidies, such as the Edusave scholarship, and provides so much help for financially troubled students. There are numerous organisations such as Sinda and Mendaki that give subsidised tuition to financially troubled students. With so much help given to financially challenged students, I find it unreasonable to claim that deserving but financially challenged students miss out on a better education. As a student, I find that in Singapore, any student who deserves an education in a top school is not denied one because of his monetary status.
As Ms Liu said, parents fork out thousands of dollars to arrange tuition for their children. But not each and every one of them passes the PSLE with flying colours.
Nivruthi Prasad (Miss)
Labels: PSLE
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