Referring to the Student Learning Space, MOE’s core platform for online teaching and learning, Mr Chan quipped that there is “no need to go and buy other schools’ exam papers – try our SLS for free”.
But will “kiasu” families still spend heavily on the billion-dollar private tuition industry to secure a competitive advantage for their children, something which was raised during the Budget debate as a key expense item by the sandwiched middle class?
(https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/time-to-do-away-with-stigmatising-academic-labels-like-normal-and-express?utm_source=emarsys&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ST_Newsletter_PM&utm_term=Time+to+do+away+with+stigmatising+academic+labels+like+Normal+and+Express&utm_content=01%2F03%2F2023)
I refer to (part of) the news article stated above.
Sending children for extra classes, enrichment classes, tuition lessons and so on does not make parents or families "kiasu". Far from it! In fact, parents who send their children and spend heavily on this industry are pragmatic parents who are trying their utmost to do something right for their children and to invest (heavily) in their precious offspring.
What is so wrong about wanting to learn more and to get extra help / support? Parents are not able to do everything themselves. For example, parents may not be able to properly guide their children on their academic subjects. To me, sending children for tuition is a must. Sending children for tuition is useful and helpful and a highly practical solution. Parents should not be wrongfully labelled as "kiasu" for wanting to do their best for their children.
Everyone uses his/her (often limited) resources differently. There is nothing wrong at all with parents portioning their resources to help their children do well academically. After all, isn't human resource one of the most important resources? There is nothing wrong with parents investing in their children. Isn't this what responsible, loving and sacrificial parents do? Parents hope and want their offspring to be better and to do better. Parents who send their children for extra classes should be applauded for their good efforts and not dissed and erroneously negatively labelled as "kiasu".
It is strange that we as a society view maids - extra help - as accepted support but there is so much "bad blood" towards the tuition industry which is here to provide support and help to students (and teachers).
As the saying goes, "it takes a village to raise a child". Getting different forms of support and help to raise the next generation in a bid to help them reach their potential and to help them to perform as well as they can in school should be applauded as responsible actions from parents. Parents should not be uglily labelled as "kiasu" for wanting to support and assist their children as well as they can and in a way that they know how.
