SINGAPORE: Early last month, a woman posted a video on Instagram explaining why she believes children are stressed in Singapore. Her post appears to have struck a chord with many on the platform, as it has been liked over 41,000 times, and many people have weighed in in the comments.
The mum behind an account called @littleexpats_sg, Zita, began her video by asking, “Why are kids so stressed in Singapore?”
Noting that the city-state has the best education systems in the world, she added that something shocked her when she first arrived.
“I walked into a bookstore and realized the shelves were packed with assessment books far more than storybooks. Tuition centres are also everywhere, always packed with children after school,” she wrote in the text overlay.
She compared this with the situation in Australia, where children’s lives for children had a much slower pace, and where children felt “less pressure to ‘be ahead’.”
In Singapore, however, emphasis is placed on rankings and scores.
The post author also admitted that at times she feels out of place with other mothers in Singapore, particularly when they begin discussing grades and the best schools. She also voiced concerns about parents who may also be experiencing burnout.
“Singapore is known for having the smartest kids in the world, but seeing kids carry so much pressure at such a young age, I wonder, is it worth it?” she added.
“As a mum, I want my children to experience the joy of learning, finding magic in storybooks instead of working on the assessment books. I want them to run freely in the park, not rush between tuition and enrichment classes,” she wrote in the caption.
In a comment, the post author made it clear that she respects Singapore’s culture. Perhaps not wanting to come across in a critical way, she explained that she was just sharing what she has personally noticed while living in Singapore, and invited others to share their views.
A number of commenters agreed with her, with some saying that they’ve noticed the same.
“As a Singaporean who is a teacher at AIS, I could not agree more. I left the local school system back in 2014 and have been in AIS since then because of how different the approach to teaching and learning is. Students who get to attend international schools, especially like AIS, are so blessed to not be stuck in an elitist system,” wrote one.
“My kids don’t attend tuition classes. Instead, after school, we ride bikes, go to the beach, visit playgrounds, and spend as much time as we can in nature. They’re still doing well in school, and I don’t pressure them to get full marks — I believe a happy, balanced childhood matters just as much,” another parent shared.
“I used to be just the typical Singaporean and believed that our education system is superb. But when we start to work, we have foreigners working with us WITHOUT having to go through our education system. They have had an easier education system, and yet they can still work in Singapore without going through what we went through!” an Instagram user wrote.
Another answered her question: “No, not worth it. Let the kids be kids. It’s like they are at a university already…so much pressure and not fun at all. They need to have a balanced life. Thanks for sharing. You’re not the only one who feels this way.” /TISG
