Get rid of the PSLE

Surfing through the Channel NewsAsia website, I saw that some Members of Parliament (MPs) had a debate over the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE).

First off, I wonder why it’s called a debate. People have been complaining that the PSLE is unnecessary for years, and the Ministry of Education (MOE) has been ignoring the complaints for years. So where is the debate?

Still I guess some airing in Parliament is better than none. Personally, I have always been against the PSLE. Students in Singapore start their official schooling at age 7 in Primary 1. From Primary 1 to Primary 6, the students will be studying for their PSLE, the result of which will affect their lives. Their results in the PLSE will affect whether they can go to Secondary Education, which will affect whether they can go on to Higher Education like junior collage or even polytechnics. The PLSE will affect their whole life.

The children take the PLSE at age 12.

It’s a simple numbers game. The average age of a Singaporean is over 70 and these kids are going to take a test that will affect their whole live at age 12? Now I have being through the PSLE myself, and I passed. However, I can safely say that back then I do not have any real idea of how important the PSLE truly is. I doubt if any student at age 12 truly do. Back then, it was just another test I had to pass.

So if the MOE want a ‘debate’ on the education system in Singapore; I say get rid of the PSLE because children at age 12 should not have to take a test that will affect their whole live.