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AS A teacher, I find it timely that the Saturday Special, 'Varsity Squeeze', was published soon after the release of the A-level results. Indeed, pressure to be an all-rounder will likely intensify. Young pragmatic Singaporeans will push themselves to take on leadership roles in a myriad of interests and hobbies.
The emphasis on resume padding is not necessarily bad. Students build confidence as they accomplish things outside their comfort zone. But society's obsession with perfection seems to have churned out a generation of youngsters who base their self-worth too much on whether they attain straight As and stellar CCAs.
I have had students so apprehensive of 'failure', they broke down in front of me before I handed out their result slips. Are we doing enough to remind them that life is a marathon?
This is why I was heartened by the feature on university applicants Nantha Kumahrie, an ITE graduate, and Lynn Si, a mature student. They embody how it is not about the time we take to reach our destination, but the triumph of reaching there in the end.
Heng Kai Le
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