Defying statistics

I WAS 17 years old when a well-meaning educator implied that my wanting an overseas scholarship was naively ambitious, and that a local scholarship was more realistic for me.

It is common for educators to influence our study paths because of their experience; they know the odds are stacked against students with mediocre results.

But students are aware of this too. For every exam we fail, we are stricken with the nauseating thought that we may not achieve our goals.

Both the substance and the tone of the principal who told her students to consider applying for ITEs show that our study paths are still being influenced.

And despite the best of intentions, I think it's time to stop psychologically caging our goals and steering us towards lesser ambitions.

Instead, we want to - and need to hear that we can - defy statistics.

Adrienne de Souza, 21, is a third-year biology student at Imperial College London

Many ways to excellence

JACK Neo was right - we're not stupid, regardless of what our streaming system implies.

Growing up, I have been 'streamed' no less than six times. I was acculturated into believing that there was only one route to success - a university degree.

Students navigating through the system are constantly reminded of this.

However, it is heartening to note that while the streaming system is still around, some of its functions and priorities have shifted.

The Singapore Sports School and the Media Development Authority's Media Study Awards, for example, give growing recognition to the 'multiple peaks of excellence' standard set by the Education Ministry.

I sincerely hope students today are given opportunities to identify and develop their own unique talents.

A talent in regurgitation is not the only road to success.

Andre Oei, 21, is a final-year Government and Economics student at the London School of Economics

Remaining employable

I SPENT three years studying for a diploma in mass communication and despite the general misconception that a diploma is about technical ability, I spent a fair part of my time engaging in media theory.

In the same sense, understanding the basic theory of micro-organism growth patterns is essential to doing well in a bio-technology course at an ITE.

These developments show that the so-called technical and vocational institutions are keeping up with the times and ensuring students do not get left out in an increasingly knowledge-based economy.

This, too, ensures that their students remain employable - a fundamental ethos of vocational education.

From personal experience, I am grateful for the intellectual challenge, for my school did its best for me.

Samantha Chan, 21, is a third-year communication student at Monash University

A case of hypocrisy?

UPON reading online the fall-out from a principal's harsh words, I cannot help but sense an inherent hypocrisy among those who criticised the principal.

Typical retorts often bemoan the principal recommending ITEs over polytechnics, saying that this 'demoralises' the students.

Yet such an argument presumes that polytechnics are naturally better choices than ITEs. Why else would studying at an ITE be 'demoralising'?

It seems that we have returned to the issue of educational elitism once again - to assume that polytechnics are inherently better than ITEs is the same kind of thinking that assumes an education at a junior college is naturally superior to one at a polytechnic.

It would be helpful if critics took the time to consider that, maybe, the principal really had the students' best interests at heart.

Shawn Woo, 23, is an honours-year political science student at the National University of Singapore

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Jan 28, 2008