Three in four parents in Singapore believe outside tuition is necessary for their children to achieve academic success, despite a widespread desire to scale back pressure, according to a survey released on Nov 9 by children’s advocacy group EveryChild.SG, The Straits Times reported.
Families spent a median sum of $600 a month per child on extra classes, according to the findings by EveryChild.SG. Seventy-two per cent of parents reported wanting to put less academic pressure on their children, but they feared their youngsters would lose out in the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).
At the same time, 77 per cent of respondents stated they would ease that pressure if their children secured a guaranteed place in secondary school through a system that made the PSLE optional. The market research firm NielsenIQ polled 4,007 Singapore citizens and permanent residents mainly between January and February for the study.
The sample included 2,002 parents aged 25 to 65 with children currently in or recently through local primary schools, alongside 2,005 young adults aged 18 to 30. Households earning $5,000 a month or less spent a median of $300 monthly per child on tuition, while families earning between $5,000 and $15,000 spent $600. Those earning between $15,000 and $20,000 a month spent $1,000 per primary school child.
Despite anxiety over exams and tuition fees, most respondents expressed deep confidence in the national education framework. Eight in 10 agreed that Singapore’s primary education system ranks among the best compared with other developed countries, and about 85 per cent felt positively about the school environment.
“Singapore has built an education system that is widely admired for its academic achievements. The challenge now is to build on these strengths while addressing the pressures and inequalities that have emerged alongside them,” said Pooja Bhandari, founder of EveryChild.SG.
Assistant Professor Kwan Jin Yao of the University of Delaware noted that the findings highlight a familiar tension between strong preparation for employment and the resulting family stress. EveryChild.SG has previously proposed a through-train system where 80 per cent to 90 per cent of pupils progress directly to an associated secondary school without taking the PSLE.
