What Do Singaporeans Think Of Elite Vs Neighbourhood Schools? | Word On The Street
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- čas přidán 13. 07. 2024
- Does the school an individual comes from really matter to Singaporeans? In a society where hard work is the key to success, we took to the streets to find out what Singaporeans think about the age-old comparison between "elite" and "neighbourhood" schools.
Word On The Street is a series on TSLTV where our host, Fauzi, goes around asking Singaporeans about anything and everything that's happening in Singapore!
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Elite schools open more doors for you. They present more opportunities and resources, both in terms of the financial/material aspects and the human connection. Yeah in the end the exam paper is the same, but what if some opportunities can make you bypass the paper at all.
Very much agreed. Not to say that the quality of education offered is different as there is a standardised syllabus but it is real and true that some schools can financially afford to cater more modules, courses, and interest groups facilitated by better qualified educators as compared to others, thus giving students in that school an equal opportunity as everyone else to pursue something for close to free. Whereas in other schools, if a student wishes to pursue something new, it is much harder for them to do so as they might have to look for private options outside, for which they may need more financial ability. This also creates a sense of disparity as when one student from both school each meet the other and discover that both are pursuing the same interest, they would have very different ideas of how the other has managed to get their means of pursuing that interest.
I would say it only matters for uni. If not employers don’t really care which elite secondary school that individual from. Hack don’t even care about your o level
ckkai It’s not even about employability.Elite school allows u to interact and connect with people who are more well off in education and wealth.Most of the neighbourhood schools are full of people with broken families,and who engage in vices at a young age.Essentially this neighbourhood kids are bad influences and if I had a child, I certainly wouldn’t want them to end up in such a school
Issac 313 I have to disagree. Neighborhood school students are not that bad. They are just mischievous. However, I have to agree neighborhood school students are more mischievous. But that does not mean they are bad eggs.
I have seen many elite students screw up their A/O levels. In the end taking up private diploma. Even local poly don’t want them.
Issac 313 and if that kid is a guy. He will have his own fair share of bad influences when he is in the army.
the school you entered actually instils in you a little bit different culture and attitude? Not that school matters in terms of personal achievements, but definitely affects the students in their way of thinking.
This is really true and I'm saying this from personal experience. I've studied in a neighbourhood school and really like when your are in Sec 1 and stuff there's like not that much pressure on like what college or actually any discussion on how your CV would look like or like thinking about your CV. Around that time I'd moved to an international school which put a lot of like attention on CV and like futuristic thinking and general encouragement to "all-roundedness " so you grow as a person and really your CV can show it especially during interviews. So yes, your schools culture and beliefs can rub off on you and in the end the school does have a level of importance in your personality. That's what I think at least.
I think ‘elite schools’ are where the smarter people congregate, and this makes the environment more conducive for studying and thinking, but having said that, it does not necessarily make one smarter.
True by what you are saying! It's basically opportunities tbh
Same paper doesn't mean equal resources, networks and opportunities. It's not a leveller tbh
I've attended both an elite school and a neighbourhood school. Is there a difference? Yes. Elite schools have stronger alumni networks that support the school with funds and equipment that lack in neighborhood schools. The alumni also provide the elite schools' current students with an intangible network that does not exist in a neighborhood school (or to a much lesser extent).
The students in elite schools do come from families that are more well to do, have more resources, or are more motivated to do well. As such, students in elite schools tend to have better opportunities exploring talents that are not entertained for students in most neighborhood schools.
The government may try to sell the idea that all schools are good but ministers continue to send their children to elite schools. So obviously some schools are better. Are neighborhood schools terrible? No. But they represent the real Singapore. The elite school students do exist in a bubble. I didn't realize that until I attended a neighborhood school. Yes, the end result may be the same - students graduate with O, A or IB no matter where they go. But education is as much, or even more so, a journey as it is to have arrived.
Lastly, effort and hardwork pays off, 198 for PSLE, almost couldn't make it for express, graduated with 14 points, got into TP, graduated then, now in NTU. Don't give up.
Was from a good primary school and then a neighbourhood (notorious) secondary school. Proceeded on to Singapore poly and then nus. Experienced both cultures in elite schools and non elite.
What I feel is that the school you go to really matters. In an elite school, most students articulate well with accurate pronunciation, grammar and well established vocab. The subject of conversation is really different as well.
Elite schools conversation does broaden your horizon as students reads and experience a lot.
In a neighborhood school, you will find students like this too, but the ratio is a lot lesser.
All in all, schools only matters that much. Then people you meet, the friends you make. You need to work hard yourself and work towards your goals and aims. :)
The difference is in school culture, the peers you meet and also alumni support and staff resources.
But privilege has a lot to do with whether your hard work comes to fruition or not :-)
there really is a difference. i mean definitely they’re all students and should be mingling but someone in an elite school is more well cultured, more eloquent and has more advantages/opportunities and is offered a more holistic education. definitely not all about grades when a good school actually changes many other things for you. so there really is a difference i would say.
Lol he needs to interview the employers. They don’t feel the same way
Since it's word on the street, I feel that this video would've been better if you interviewed people from different age groups/backgrounds - adults, foreigners, etc. I mean all of them can walk on the street right? Haha
Though some of them may be genuine, I feel that some of these students may be giving politically correct responses so that they do not get "flamed" by those who are from the "other" school.
It would be interesting to see what the slightly older generation think. Some may be planning on sending or have already sent their kids to a particular school. It'll be great to hear them out.
great as always !
When discussing issues like this, Singaporeans tend to always attempt saying the politically and universally right answer, when in fact there's always some truth in stereotypes. I couldn't care less regarding one's educational institution, and like what was mentioned by those in the video; attitude is the paramount factor. However, it is the hard truth that your school often dictates your attitude and behaviour. It is statistically proven that students of elite schools are generally more well-behaved, and have better work competency
At around 1pm when the students are dismissed wait outside an elite school, you will see parents waitinig for their kids in Audi, BMW, Mercedez, all the ex cars. If u go to neighbourhood schools, you will see normal cars, trucks, vans, cycle and only a few ex cars.
Imran Farid no we go home by ourselves
I went to an elite “rich man’s school.” My family doesn’t own a car.
Imran Farid i don't have a car lmao take bus
Imran Farid who gets dismissed at 1😂 it’s usually 4-6pm
untrue. i come from an elite school and the bus is always crowded
Great video! 😍
Take same paper but different results
But if u enter a school that is like all paikia u will soon be affected by them and become one too imagine if everyone in ur school is a paikia except you and you dont want to be friend it will be sad to be lonely so it rlly matters which school u come from. People from ur daily lived will influence you... primary school kids work hard and enter a good school ! Because i regretted not working hard and not entering a rlly good school
as someone who is currently studying in an 'elite' sec school, and who came from a neighbourhood primary school, it is unfortunate to say that there is a difference which is very apparent. firstly, the socio-economic background of the families in elite schools are much better. 99% of the school lives in luxury condo/landed property, have some form of tuition or enrichment classes, and generally are very well-to-do and sheltered. that being said, there are obviously extremes when you go anywhere, but the other extreme in this case, e.g. students from FAS is close to none. i have quite a lot of friends whose parents are civil servants high up on the social ladder --- and they usually have more privileges than us. nearly everyone sports branded shoes, bags, etc. quite telling when having a macbook is compulsory for us. O.O it is evident that how well a student does in society isn't necessarily dependant on their smartness or IQ --- a significant portion is due to their family and connections. the government claims that SG has a meritocratic education system --- they're trying (i cannot say much too).
secondly, the attitude is rlly very different. i feel like my attitude aligns with most of my friends in my elite school, but i prefer the neighbourhood school attitude. here, it's really the stereotypical view: nearing exam time, a lot of students will be very competitive, and there are some cases of backstabbing. (very sad, really). teachers expect much more from us too, and our expectations are astronimically high (we all strive for 4.0s, the highest GPA). we are also very fiercely competitive not only in the academics portion as most of us are perfectionists that strive to flourish holistically. hence, clinching leadership positions and doing well in our CCA is EXTREMELY important to us. it becomes very stressful during competition/election period as all of us want to do well --- not just well, EXCELLENT. this environment proves to be highly toxic because all of us just want to one-up our peers.
these don't limit us in our social life though, oh boy, i think people who come from elite schools are much more social than people from neighbourhood schools (just a generalization from past experiences, this cannot be said true for everyone). their parents have a lot of connections, and they know to keep those connections because it can bring lots of benefits. their children also know, that's why friendship and social life is very important to us (we know our connections now matter a lot in the future). cannot say the same for comradeship and loyalty though. may i add that i come from a girls school --- and i don't think this just applies to us because we are 'elite' --- but a handful of us are already in BGR. not say it's a bad thing, but i'm just like wHeRe??? and ofcs i realise we are highly adaptable.
this seems like an essay but it is really not, prolly just a retelling of my experiences. i won't say which or which is better, but imo you can tell my bias from how i wrote this. i have to say my experience is different because i do not come from as priveleged a family (still well-to-do though), but i can tell you that the comparison between elite and neighbourhood is pretty significant and it reflects a lot about our society and its (problems).
wait condense it into 5 sentences
you’re from rgs aren’t you
@@avon740 duh... who da heck uses GPA
TBH i really disagree with you but oh well, I guess you were unfortunate enough to have such a damaging experience?
Mid Ocean cedar lol ,,, though i don’t think op is from cedar since alot of ppl in cedar live in hdb
honestly there is a diff. if u go to a BAD neighbourhood school, things can get pretty rough without tuition. I went to one of the worst schools in sg and i got 43 during prelims. However i worked really hard and achieved 14. Ofc its all comes down to hard work, but honestly if i had a better school with better resources i may have scored better. so yea, honestly its q impt and different
i went to an elite secondary school but i became lazy and could only make it to a neighbourhood jc... i think that in both types of school, there is a variety of students (the nice friendly ones and the toxic ones)... based on culture, i think elite school students are more hardworking and matured. in neighbourhood schools, there are more immature ones and students tend to be more chill academically...
The only difference of an "elite" school and a "neighbourhood" school are the teachers. The teachers in 'neighbourhood" schools tend to stereotype their students and treat them as "bad kids" from the start and if this is how they are treated, this is how they will behave. I think this whole system was created by the attitude the teachers have towards the students and the kind of attention they give to them. Not all teachers are like that but I think most of them are, and this affects the growth and character of a student. Something needs to change.
Neighborhood teachers are shit too
Everyone just goes to school to learn whether the grades are good or not
'HEYYYYY' 5:04
best way to start a conversation 😂
Went from an 'ok' primary school to an elite secondary school. I really think that going to an elite school opens up many doors for you, but going to a neighborhood school also has its advantages. At the end of the day, it depends on your preference. There will always be pros and cons in either class of schools
I was brought up in an elite school north of Malaysia, specifically in an island named Langkawi. It is a fully-boarding school. The environment really taught me to be independent and students were very intense to get better grades during every exams. Sometimes, I felt left out because I couldn’t catch the syllabus like others. But after all, we are all the same. No matter which school you from. 😊 Attitudes define yourself the best rather than educational achievements per se.
0:52 woah these three man elite all the way and ends up in the same school too
Ay brudder there’s a girl lah
I love the intellectual talk 👍🏻
imo of course we are all taking the same paper at the end of the day. all schools are good schools indeed and we are all equipped with what we need to do well. however, i’d say it would have to do with the environment and experience.
in an ‘elite’ school, you’d have more opportunities in terms of workshops, learning environment, and people who have graduated that are more advanced in their career who would come back and give talks at school. ‘elite’ schools are definitely more well-recognized.
however, the environment can be quite competitive, leading to unnecessary stress in students.
in neighbourhood schools, you get to meet many different types of people and have many new experiences. i think more attention is paid to areas apart from academics as students can take FCE and D&T as subjects, which is an advantage for people who would like to pursue jobs in those fields in the future. in elite schools, the subject combinations are not that flexible. you would not be able to take those subjects for o levels.
all in all, i believe there are pros and cons and people have the freedom to choose the type of school they prefer. with hardwork, anything is possible :)
it's true we take the same papers, but the standard of school papers, resources provided are different but i agree with the attitude in which you face your studies and your environment
there is a Barrier , you call it an “elite school” and a “neighbourhood school”
hahaha it's not going to change for a long time despite the famous phrase from Mr Heng Swee Keat, "every school is a good school"
Now I know what elite and neighborhood meant.. Because when I told people my school they were like ohhh lucky you go elite
Exactly. At the end of the day same certificate same paper. Primary and secondary school level doesn’t matter
Lmao what JC or ploy you go
medicine pharmarcy computer science gpa like 4
Early woots
honestly im from Dunearn Sec and rly its not like what i think it is. its the total opposite i used to think that the ppl there are liks paikia liddat but no they're really friendly. and yea Dunearn is liek thos rly rly low schools in sg
ehh im from unity primary too;)
Tip to get a lot views : put Jonathan in the thumbnail
It’s not true that most students from neighbourhood schools lives in HDBs because,im from a neighbourhood school and most of my friends lives in condos actually:)
i’m in acs international. 👍
Means nothing really later on in life. As long as you gained the education required to continue with your chosen field of study, etc. If you happen to move overseas it even means less as result gained is only looked at.
I don’t even know if my school is an elite or neighbourhood school-
Say "HEY"
Hi
Wow hi Lucas
neighbourhood schools aren’t as bad as other people say it is. the people there are less judgmental and actually feel more friendly whereas people from elite schools often feel entitled to judge people from neighbourhood schools and they have an air of untouchability to them, which makes them kinda unapproachable. and ehhhh my family actually told me to go the closest neighbourhood school instead of a elite school despite my psle results
tell this to my parents please
I am from an elite school what they say is quite wrong
What if someone lives near an elite school? Is it an elite neighbourhood school?
yea bro my fam rented a hdb that’s really near my school (it’s considered elite ig) so now I go to an elite neighbourhood school lmao
mingle & jingle
The terms used already spell out the difference. When you brand the school as " Elite vs neighborhood ", the comparison starts! Period.
If we're just to talk about qualification, at the end of the day, until they've reached diploma or degree. PSLE all the way to A levels as of now is irrelevant if you're talking about employment.
Woah CHR PRIDE !!!!
School doesn't matter tbh. I was a 36 pointer for Prelims and got a 13 for olevels. Hard work pays off. (neighbourHood school)
MiniePest 👍🏻
13 points isn’t exactly great but sure.
Issac 313 great improvement nonetheless
Issac 313 Why are you so stuck-up and arrogant in all of your comments? Shut the fuck up lol.
MiniePest keep doing what u doing. Work hard and work smart. In the working world, it’s all about working attitude 👍🏻.
Guy in the cap is hot ahaha
Meh... At the end of the day... School still sucks!!!
321 321 *the
Tumbler Lai k
True
Elite schools sure better academics and all lah... But a lot of the successful kids from neighbourhood schools can integrate and communicate with "elite" students when they grow up and enter the workforce - the "elite" kids tho, would never be able to understand and work well with / handle an ah-beng/ah-lian... Who may actually be more adept to practical matters. Thats where the divide will come cos "elite" grads feel they are better in all asects, regardless of practicality. The best bosses i worked with/for are those that have experienced both neighbourhood and elite schools. They can really communicate and relate to ppl at all levels, from cleaners to CEOs. At the end of the day, we must all recognise that we're all made different so we could learn from each other. No one's perfect.
To those people who think that smart people are nerdy people,NOT ALL STUDENTS are NERDY.Ok?
hmmmmmmmmm
Earlyyyyy
O
The guy with the cap looks like sik-k lmao
Heyy christ church!!
Is NYJC considered elite?
If you want the honest truth, when people mention elite JCs, it's normally limited to RI and HC
jerysleary dont forget ACS(I)
it's close, like NYJC, VJC are pretty good
I live in a semi-D but I go to a neighbourhood school 😢
Why does Fauzi speak with an accent
Fake accent
" nope school doesnt matter" says those from neighbourhood school
Yea
yea tbh i think its a way of consoling themselves... :/ no offense (im from neighbourhood jc too and heard alot of ppl saying that) when i was in an elite sec sch, ppl generally think it matters and i do too
Lmao CHR represented
Thumbs up if u are from nan hua
dumbass i can tell ur lying and that u aint from nan hwa because the damn spelling is nan hwa not nan hua smh
nopee i was from chung cheng high main but im still gna give a thumbs up