Education: A Math Question Unlocks a New Direction for Education

*A Math Question Unlocks a New Direction for Education*

Lianhe Zaobao Editorial (2026-03-06)

Translated by ChatGPT

https://www.zaobao.com.sg/forum/editorial/story20260306-8686877?utm_source=android-share&utm_medium=app

2026-03-06

Education Minister Desmond Lee on Tuesday posed a Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) math question to the members of Parliament during the Committee of Supply debate on the Ministry of Education’s budget. Besides triggering laughter in the chamber, it also sparked widespread attention online. This small episode vividly reflects how education has always been the topic that most tugs at the heartstrings of local parents or increases their stress.

Desmond Lee’s “question” in Parliament was in fact meant to illustrate that the level of difficulty of PSLE questions is carefully designed by experts. Even the small number of more difficult questions are designed to guide candidates toward solving them, and he hopes parents can be reassured.

The new education policies announced by Desmond Lee in Parliament revolve around the central theme of easing parents’ pressure and diluting the elite character of the education system. These include guiding parents away from chasing after prestigious schools, striving to enter gifted classes, or relying on tuition to meet examination assessments.

One of the new policies is that from 2027, the Ministry of Education will support primary school students with academic strengths to take after-school advanced modules. This will allow primary school students with different potentials to explore and develop their abilities, while the Gifted Education Programme, which has been implemented for more than 40 years, will become history in 2028. The Ministry of Education emphasized that the advanced modules are not meant to replicate the Gifted Education Programme, nor are they part of the national curriculum or examinations. Instead, they aim to allow students to freely explore innovative ideas without concerns about curriculum requirements or assessment pressure.

This is a milestone change in Singapore’s education system. While acknowledging that children have different talents, this approach removes labeling but continues to teach according to students’ aptitudes, and the student pool will also expand to further practice inclusiveness. According to the Ministry of Education, the 15 designated centers providing advanced education programs will be located in neighborhood schools across different parts of the island, making it convenient for primary school students nationwide to enroll nearby, instead of being concentrated in just a few “prestigious schools.” These centers can offer at least twice as many places as the Gifted Education Programme, providing more opportunities for students with stronger abilities from different social backgrounds to receive deeper and broader learning. The aim is to further help them cultivate curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking, and give them opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary modules during school holidays.

A series of reforms also focus on breaking the potential risk of social stratification becoming entrenched. These include reviewing the Primary 1 registration system to avoid excessive homogeneity in the backgrounds of students in schools located in private housing areas; opening more learning pathways so that more interested students can study Higher Chinese; significantly increasing the number of schools receiving additional resources to help more disadvantaged students; and expanding the number of places in special education schools.

In Singapore, education has always been an important pathway for changing the fate of individuals and families and for promoting social mobility. Therefore, the fairness and inclusiveness of the education system have repeatedly come under scrutiny. Facing the new era, rapidly changing new technologies such as artificial intelligence are bringing challenges to the learning and employment landscape, making parents even more anxious about their children’s education and further intensifying the phenomenon of an “education arms race.” Such worries have gradually evolved into anxiety over grades, scores, and academic performance. The mentality of “good is not good enough” and the fear of “not being good parents” have even affected the willingness of young couples to have children.

The overall fertility rate has hit record lows for many reasons, but the “education arms race,” which weighs heavily on parents’ minds, clearly deserves the attention of society as a whole. The thinking behind Singapore’s adjustments to education policy is not only to promote fairness and enable everyone to realize their talents, but also to respond concretely to this issue.

Adjustments to education policy are what the government can do at the rational level. As for how to face children’s education and learning paths and make psychological adjustments personally, that is the responsibility of parents. From a practical perspective, the process of education or learning may be difficult to be completely free of pressure. Many Chinese idioms express the spirit of diligent study in ancient times—from hanging one’s hair from a beam and pricking one’s thigh, to chiseling a hole in the wall to borrow light—all showing that learning must be accompanied by a spirit of self-discipline and determination. In an era of low birth rates, it is understandable that parents care more about their children’s academic performance, but it may also create unnecessary pressure for themselves and their children. Looking at it from another angle, if one believes that there is more than one path to happiness in life, and if learning is meant to satisfy a child’s own curiosity and interests, then pressure can also become a form of enjoyment.

Desmond Lee used a metaphor in his speech that young parents should listen to. He said that school results may be like a small boat that can take you out to sea, but when facing adversity, what helps you weather the storm is resilience; what helps you navigate the tides is adaptability; what helps you discover new horizons is creativity; and only interpersonal skills can allow others to journey alongside you. Indeed, success in life has a broad definition, far beyond the stage of being a gifted student or a graduate of a prestigious school during one’s school years. When parents broaden their horizons and relax their mindset, it is equivalent to helping their children find the limitless possible answers to a math question.