They Better Not Lower The Requirements For Mother Tongue…

I’ve always wanted to blog about this topic but never had the chance to sit down and properly type out my opinion.

To parents who are complaining that their children can’t cope with Chinese language and want to revise the requirement.

GET A LIFE.

Seriously I do not know what is the big fuss behind Chinese language at PSLE level. Your kid’s Chinese grade causes him/her to miss out on entering top schools? Then maybe you should question whether they have the capability in the first place to do so.

Man, if you want a case, let me have MY CASE from what, 12 years ago?

I struggled with Chinese ever since I was in Primary 1-2 and basically, it’s because I come from an English-speaking family. My dad and mom both weren’t strong in the Chinese language and I had to put in A LOT OF EFFORT to get good grades.

I missed out on entering EM1 stream because my Chinese was a Band 2. Did anybody care that I had Band 1 for every other subject? NO. Because I had a Band 2 in chinese, I couldn’t take Higher Chinese because it was too tedious.

I seriously hated chinese to the core simply because I thought it hindered me from performing to my best.

But because I knew of its importance in the PSLE exams, I  studied hard and basically pulled through Chinese Primary 6, got an A for Chinese at PSLE WITHOUT ANY FORM OF TUITION.

I went on to secondary school and I gradually realized the Chinese was a beautiful language. I went on to get an A1 for Chinese at O Levels (again without tuition), though I’m sad to say I have forgotten most of the idioms that I memorized like crazy back then. But hey, at least I can now communicate well in Mandarin.

What are the kids today experiencing?

Hardship? Oh please, we have all been through that when we were younger. Does that mean we should shelter them from it? Are we pampering them  too much? We are definitely giving them the wrong idea that just because they fall short of something, society is going to make adjustments to suit them.

GET A LIFE.

Society does not adjust itself for a group of people. You fit into society.

If your kid doesn’t perform well in all subjects, well,  society is just going to make way for the next talent that does. Sorry but given that foreign students are more hardworking and sensible, you will gradually see them making to the top because society values people who can strive in harsh conditions.

I personally value foreign talent. They are much more open-minded, they have better and more innovative ideas, they speak up and they work without complaining. I’ve now got 3 wonderful staff under me who are based overseas and I must say that their attitude is so much better than some I have seen locally.

Now, it’s just Chinese grades at PSLE.

What more when they enter the working world and are exposed to other elements?

It’s time for Singaporean parents to THINK. Stop working if you must because I think it’s causing you to miss out the point in parenting. You cultivate the best in your children (even if their interests are not primarily in their studies) and not mindlessly pushing them to tuition centres just to meet your idealistic goals.

The government made a good choice. Suck in your complaints and work harder and smarter, Singapore.

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