A Singapore-based Chinese education consultant has come under fire online after claiming that students in Singapore’s primary and secondary schools have virtually “no break time” between lessons, prompting many parents and netizens to dispute her description of the local education system.
The comments were made in a video uploaded to Facebook, where the consultant was explaining what she described as the typical school experience in Singapore for the benefit of Chinese parents considering sending their children here.
Her remarks quickly attracted attention, with many Singaporeans arguing that her portrayal of local schools was misleading.
Consultant lists Singapore education credentials
On her social media profile, the consultant describes herself as the founder of a Singapore-based education consultancy. She states that she holds a Master’s degree from the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and that her daughter currently attends primary school in Singapore.
She also says she is familiar with both Chinese and Singapore education policies, and that her goal is to help Chinese parents bridge the information gap when planning their children’s education in Singapore. Her profile invites interested parents to contact her for free exclusive study-abroad materials and a breakdown of education costs.
In addition, she lists Guangdong University of Foreign Studies as part of her educational background.
Claims pupils have almost no breaks during school
Speaking in Mandarin, the consultant claimed that many people have misconceptions about daily school life in Singapore.
She said pupils typically begin school at around 7.30am and continue lessons until about 1.30pm with almost no breaks between classes. According to her, lessons start immediately after the previous lesson ends, leaving students with only a brief 10-minute snack break during the school day.
She also claimed that pupils who need to use the toilet simply ask their teacher for permission before returning to class, describing the routine as the “most authentic” representation of lower primary education in Singapore.
Netizens say her description is inaccurate
The video soon sparked debate online, with many commenters disagreeing with her account of how Singapore schools operate.
Numerous parents pointed out that most primary schools provide a recess period of around 30 minutes in addition to any shorter snack breaks scheduled by individual schools.
Others questioned whether her description reflected the experience of only one particular school rather than the wider Singapore education system. Some commenters accused her of making overly broad claims despite presenting herself as someone familiar with Singapore’s education system.
Several users bluntly labelled her statements as inaccurate, while others urged prospective parents to verify information directly with schools instead of relying solely on social media videos.
Although school timetables differ slightly from one institution to another, publicly available schedules from many Singapore primary schools indicate that recess generally lasts around 30 minutes, contradicting claims that students have virtually no break time throughout the day.
The discussion has since fuelled broader conversations online about the importance of providing accurate information to parents researching overseas education options, particularly when such advice is presented by education consultants promoting their expertise.