On November 21, 2010, Rachel Lin reported in the Straits Times various statements made by Singapore’s Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew regarding the local primary education.

He was quoted as saying the following:

“[Admissions into primary schools are]  not meritocratic; it's based on the social class of your parents, whether they went into better schools.”

I don’t believe that the relevant authorities/government bodies/Ministry of Education have acknowledged this properly for the longest time. Kiasu parents channel their time into volunteer work for schools a year before their child’s enrollment just to try to get their children the limited but coveted places in many seemingly prestigious institutions. They move closer to such schools, just to get within the 1 km radius, so as to increase their odds. Clearly, the economic principals of demand and supply are at work here.

Interestingly, MM Lee was also quoted to have said that there was “no difference” in terms of facilities between the 2 schools he visited – Raffles Girls Primary School (RGPS), one perceived to be a prestigious institution, and Punggol Primary School (PPS), its neighbourhood counterpart. Truth be told, I think his statement nailed it quite aptly. Facilities in Singapore’s primary schools today are largely similar, thanks to the aggressive upgrading schemes that the Ministry of Education has put in place.

However, I do believe that the quality of teaching is vastly different, and statistics probably do show it. 85.6% of RGPS students qualify for the express stream in secondary schools, while a significantly lower proportion – 54.2% of PPS students qualify. This is probably attributed to the better quality of teachers available in RGPS, given the fact that they can offer the Gifted Education Programme, unlike its neighbourhood counterpart, PPS. I do not mean to degrade any school here, but let’s face it, equality clearly isn’t present here. Furthermore, the demographics of both schools are vastly different – RGPS, being in District 10, has an enrolment of mostly students who come from well-to-do backgrounds. They are clearly at an advantage over their less wealthy (but not necessarily poor or impoverished) counterparts in PPS. They are definitely able to afford more choices – be it more tuition (this itself may be a curse not a benefit), more enrichment programmes etc, all of which would make them more inclined towards “Learning, Creativity, Graciousness, Responsibility and Integrity”.

My point here is to show how unfortunate the situation is for Singapore’s children. Right from an early age, they are put in a rat-race, and they are judged right from the start. Even if they are not given equal opportunities.

MM Lee, you may say that the “PSLE levels [the] playing field”, but sadly to say, that is most certainly only its aim, and not a reality.