26 July 2017

Singapore parents continue to place great weight on academic achievements, even as they recognize that other intrinsic qualities such as character building are also essential for students.

A recent study conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) also found that parents were stressed out with assisting their offsprings’ tests and examinations.

The IPS survey involved 1,500 Singapore citizen or permanent resident parents, with over 70% agreeing that examination anxiety affected them as well. Over half of respondents were concerned about the challenging syllabus that students in Singapore have to contend with.

Nonetheless, the same study found that a significant number of parents felt that schools should place greater importance on moral education, character building, and traditional family values, in additional to nation-building precepts such as racial and religious harmony.

A majority of respondents also felt that teaching of the English language should be strengthened.