John Tan, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Doyobi, a startup company that deals with education technology (EdTech), declared that he is “giving up on Singapore” and criticised the education system here, according to a post on his LinkedIn page as reported by MustShareNews.
Here is what he said
I am giving up on Singapore.
The education system in Singapore is too deeply entrenched. Parents cannot look beyond PSLE. I cannot change this.
Even my peers in tech who are highly educated and affluent are caught up in the high stakes exam rat race.
I have spent the last ten years trying to change parents’ mindset about how to prepare their kids for the future.
I’ve come to the realisation this is not possible.
Rather than wasting another 10 years on Singaporean parents who refuse to accept change, I’m bringing Doyobi to the rest of the world.
If you’re a parent or an educator who cares deeply about helping your kids become adaptable and resilient, please get in touch.
Netizens’ comments
- John, a society is made and composed of diverse habits, cultures and outlooks towards life. I have witnessed some friends who do not consider academic orientation as seriously as others would, there are some for whom academic success translates to general life accomplishment, then there are others who unfortunately cannot even afford education, especially higher education, met those folks too.
To simplify things in what is a melting pot that is Singapore to a linear orientation profile is being that tad bit short sighted. Clearly your message hasn’t reached those beyond your sphere of influence?
Singapore is hardly perfect, this PSLE culture is a true phenomenon, so is academic streaming and infatuation on rankings and academic competition, these are real social developments that come with meritocratic establishments that are inclined towards academics.. but this is not all that Singapore is. There are folks who are in ITEs, who clearly do not have that academic inclination, there are those struggling to pay for tuition if nus and ntu train is missed. Quite a sizable body too… some would prefer to be in the arts… just drop by Lasalle.
So do not give up on us! It is a diverse space. Expand your horizons and contribute!
- I would like to offer a different perspective that might not sit well – it is possible not to get caught up in the rolling ball that is PSLE. Will it mean you’re against the grain? Yes. Will it mean you face pressure to “conform” and do what everyone is doing? Yes. But is it worth it? Yes. While the system is pressurising, I found that being clear on what I wanted for my daughter and how I communicated to her (since young, not just in the lead up to the exam), gave her the confidence and foundation that it was not the sole determinant of her life. For eg, instead of cramming the night before, I made sure she got enough rest, exercise, eat well, plan ahead, space things out. Did it help her feel less pressure? Absolutely.
That said, could the system be better? Definitely – but it’s harder to move an elephant than an ant.
- You are targeting the wrong people. Much of the planet is now highly academically competitive. It’s what they were taught and it’s what they have come to accept as the only route to wealth or financial stability. Governments have been very effective in creating an employee mindset, and thus creating an effective cheap workforce.
If you want to target these parents, you will need to establish a beaten track for them to follow using a different pilot group.