When I was younger, my grades were always a tool for comparison. A useful tool to allow you to gloat around those who did worse and to feel self-deprecated around those who top the class semester after semester. I don't know how many countries actually use this system because it is damn bloody annoying.
To be fair, it has its own merits if not Singapore wouldn't be using it. But it's just too... practical. Education isn't suppose to be like this. Education is suppose to empower people, it's suppose to give hope to people, it's suppose to cultivate better individuals. And the bell curve is really just a cruel(okay, maybe it's too strong of a word but yeah, limited vocab here) tool to rank people, to make us test against one another, to cultivate a "competitive edge". Sure, that's awesome for the economy, awesome for getting better paychecks because very often, we become stagnant with the lack of competition. But it's also not-so-awesome for health - mental health and emotional health. And these two are really important. Many people do not realise this, or maybe they do but do not prioritise it. It's just kinda sad.
I've lost my ranting appetite. I really want to take action, but the truth is, I don't really know what I can do. I am hopeful, but I'm not sure how long it'll last.
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