I read the reply from our Minister of State for Education, Mr Lui Tuck Yew, with a little surprise.

The minister mentioned that students need to be told to work hard. However, the principal's undertone message seems to be more of 'even if you work hard, you are unlikely to make it'. In my view, the principal should present the grim statistics of the O level passing rate for Sec 5 students and go on to encourage them to work harder to achieve their O levels.

The minister was right to suggest resilience building in students 'because when they go into the real world, they are going to have to face circumstances well beyond their control'. I suggest building resilient characters in impressionable teenage students should be incremental in approach and conditioned with encouragement and support from the educators. In this instance, there is only a blunt tone message. It seems there was a lack of encouragement from the educators to take on the O levels. The stick was applied but no carrot was given.

I believe the way to make sure the students are 'on firm footing' is for them to achieve their basic O level certification. After ITE or polytechnic education, they can study other part-time upgrading courses if they choose to switch career paths in parallel with social economic changes. Thus, in this sense, the principal should not discourage the Sec 5 students from taking the O levels. I suggest that the principal aspire students to take on the challenge.

The substance of the message was wrong as it discourages Sec 5 students from taking the O levels. The tone of the message is a blow to confidence. I wonder how the rest of the 60 per cent of Sec 5 students who have the potential to do well in the O levels will perform in their exams after listening to the principal's morale-deflating message? Isn't it right to encourage our future generations to take on the challenge if the chance of success is at the high side of 60 per cent?

Clarence Lim Peng