Forum: Switch focus to turning more schools into good schools

There is a deeper, systemic concern in the reactions over the announcement that Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) will be moving to Tengah and functioning as a co-educational school (ACS: Teething pains when a much-loved institution embarks on change, Feb 25).

There are schools in Singapore, ACS included, that have a storied history and foundational values that took decades to build. These schools have produced generations of well-educated people who have helped define this nation. It has also taken entire communities to build such schools to where they are today.

All the discussion surrounding ACS’ plans has brought attention to the issue of elite schools and their exclusivity. But what has happened to the Ministry of Education’s “every school is a good school” line?

This fixation on branded schools is a long-held mindset in our society. It continues to draw strong emotions from parents, students, educators and policymakers alike. It is time to stop viewing each school with a different and mutually exclusive lens.

A recent report highlighted the success story of Nanyang Junior College (From mid-tier to top JC, Feb 20). The college transformed and re-engineered itself from the ground up, with bold leadership and contributions from the school’s community. What can we learn from its journey and how can other schools do the same?

Let’s not overthink the proposed changes. Instead, let’s turn attention away from so-called branded schools and concentrate on the task of turning more schools into good schools.

Christopher Lim Sim Cheng