'I accept my child for who she is'
Mr Lim Biow Chuan, the MP for Mountbatten, is especially familiar with the PSLE. He chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education and has two school-going daughters. The first excelled in the PSLE last year and entered an Integrated Programme school. The second struggles in mathematics as she prepares for her PSLE next year. He talks to Goh Chin Lian about the Ministry of Education's decision not to name top scorers and his concerns as a parent.
Purchase this article for republication
Buy SPH photos
What do you think of the move not to name top scorers of national examinations?
I'm not sure whether it will work, because word will leak out. I'm sure if you do a little bit of investigation, it will come out.
But should results be the only thing that children are looking at? It should never be. I'm happy there is less focus on results. Broadcasting top results will only reinforce that results are important.
If the message is to look at holistic assessment of a pupil, this must be the signal.
