Dec 27, 2008
EXAMINATION RESULTS
THE Ministry of Education (MOE) has been publishing annual statistics on examination results for a range of subjects and levels that are supposed to be indicative of the social and educational trends of the main ethnic groups. Such data has been crucial as a litmus test of meritocracy and progress.
As the recent data revealed, the figures have been generally positive. For the category of the percentage of the Primary 1 cohort admitted to post-secondary institutions for example, the Malays and Indians have been registering comparatively larger increases of 20 per cent and 28 per cent respectively against 14 per cent for the Chinese between 1997 and last year. The minority groups have been showing significant improvements.
But given the rapid changes in our socio-educational profiles and priorities, should ethnicity be the only marker or consideration in determining progress on the individual and national levels?
How relevant and accurate would such data be for parents and students in assessing their own situations and making choices at the micro level, and the openings and barriers to entry into higher education on a macro social level? Are the MOE figures supposed to tell me that my racial background alone is largely responsible for my performance? Should we look at other factors like nationality, income level, housing type and school background? The concern of three-room HDB flat residents would probably be the chances of advancement for their children in neighbourhood schools vis-a-vis not their Malay, Chinese or Indian neighbours, but their counterparts who live in five-room flats or private properties and come from independent schools. Putting aside race, what is the trend for students of lower-income backgrounds obtaining a university degree?
Perhaps it is time for MOE to broaden its statistical model beyond the examination-ethnicity nexus for the public to make more informed and holistic assessments, which would help in fine-tuning social policies. A mindset change is needed from merely highlighting how much the Malays have caught up with their Chinese and Indian classmates to one that looks at how the playing field is changing for all students.
Liew Kai Khiun
Do this instead...
'Publish data of students collectively, and compare it with that of children from other countries who sat for the same examinations.'
DR DHARSHINI GOPALAKRISHNAKONE: 'I refer to Tuesday's article, 'Good exam results across races, but maths scores dip'. It is high time that race is not made an issue with regard to examination results. Haven't we crossed the racial barriers such that an individual's capabilities are judged based on a meritocratic system, without race being an issue? If the aim of publishing such data is to motivate the different races to aspire to greater heights, then it is the responsibility of the authors to print only statistically significant differences and produce more relevant data. As a Singaporean, I would rather feel proud that Singaporeans performed well against those in other countries, rather than against fellow Singaporeans of other races. Perhaps what would be more ideal is to publish the data of Singaporean students collectively and compare it with that of children from other countries who sat for the same examinations. This promotes more cohesiveness and would inspire more unity in aspiration among Singaporean students.'
[Idealists who do not know about practical realities. The purpose of such statistics is to show that the education system is not discriminatory or biased against any specific ethnicity. If Malays and Indians are doing as well as the Chinese, then minorities are not systematically being sidelined. If the results show that on the whole the Chinese (or any specific ethnic group) is doing better than the others, then there is cause to wonder if either the system is marginalising or otherwise disadvantaging any specific group. And if so, to take action to remedy the situation. This is about meritocracy. Ensuring that the system is fair to all.]
EXAMINATION RESULTS
THE Ministry of Education (MOE) has been publishing annual statistics on examination results for a range of subjects and levels that are supposed to be indicative of the social and educational trends of the main ethnic groups. Such data has been crucial as a litmus test of meritocracy and progress.
As the recent data revealed, the figures have been generally positive. For the category of the percentage of the Primary 1 cohort admitted to post-secondary institutions for example, the Malays and Indians have been registering comparatively larger increases of 20 per cent and 28 per cent respectively against 14 per cent for the Chinese between 1997 and last year. The minority groups have been showing significant improvements.
But given the rapid changes in our socio-educational profiles and priorities, should ethnicity be the only marker or consideration in determining progress on the individual and national levels?
How relevant and accurate would such data be for parents and students in assessing their own situations and making choices at the micro level, and the openings and barriers to entry into higher education on a macro social level? Are the MOE figures supposed to tell me that my racial background alone is largely responsible for my performance? Should we look at other factors like nationality, income level, housing type and school background? The concern of three-room HDB flat residents would probably be the chances of advancement for their children in neighbourhood schools vis-a-vis not their Malay, Chinese or Indian neighbours, but their counterparts who live in five-room flats or private properties and come from independent schools. Putting aside race, what is the trend for students of lower-income backgrounds obtaining a university degree?
Perhaps it is time for MOE to broaden its statistical model beyond the examination-ethnicity nexus for the public to make more informed and holistic assessments, which would help in fine-tuning social policies. A mindset change is needed from merely highlighting how much the Malays have caught up with their Chinese and Indian classmates to one that looks at how the playing field is changing for all students.
Liew Kai Khiun
Do this instead...
'Publish data of students collectively, and compare it with that of children from other countries who sat for the same examinations.'
DR DHARSHINI GOPALAKRISHNAKONE: 'I refer to Tuesday's article, 'Good exam results across races, but maths scores dip'. It is high time that race is not made an issue with regard to examination results. Haven't we crossed the racial barriers such that an individual's capabilities are judged based on a meritocratic system, without race being an issue? If the aim of publishing such data is to motivate the different races to aspire to greater heights, then it is the responsibility of the authors to print only statistically significant differences and produce more relevant data. As a Singaporean, I would rather feel proud that Singaporeans performed well against those in other countries, rather than against fellow Singaporeans of other races. Perhaps what would be more ideal is to publish the data of Singaporean students collectively and compare it with that of children from other countries who sat for the same examinations. This promotes more cohesiveness and would inspire more unity in aspiration among Singaporean students.'
[Idealists who do not know about practical realities. The purpose of such statistics is to show that the education system is not discriminatory or biased against any specific ethnicity. If Malays and Indians are doing as well as the Chinese, then minorities are not systematically being sidelined. If the results show that on the whole the Chinese (or any specific ethnic group) is doing better than the others, then there is cause to wonder if either the system is marginalising or otherwise disadvantaging any specific group. And if so, to take action to remedy the situation. This is about meritocracy. Ensuring that the system is fair to all.]
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