Parent pays nearly $6,000 a month in tuition fees

[Lala81]

Agree on Einstein's law of relativity. One old lady sitting on your lap is 3 times heavier than one xmm sitting on your lap.

 

For the case here, where the taxi captain's earning is not proportionate to his spending on tuition. If this captain is piloting a A380, ok lah. But, he's piloting at most a E-series kompressor at best.

 

So, it looks like he's spending beyond his means though it's a noble cause.

 

Actually this cost might be transient.

They maybe spending more so that the dg can do her best for her PSLE and get into a good sec school. It may scale down in the future.

 

I mean it's not much different from some guys who take a 1 year car loan and literally spend all their salary paying for the installments to clear off future debt.

 

As a family, this is their goal. Just like how Darren Lim wants to bring his kids out into the open sea and homeschool his kids. 

[Blacksnow]

I spend 3k on childcare for 2 kids...

things parents do for kids

[Ender]

Agree on Einstein's law of relativity. One old lady sitting on your lap is 3 times heavier than one xmm sitting on your lap.

 

For the case here, where the taxi captain's earning is not proportionate to his spending on tuition. If this captain is piloting a A380, ok lah. But, he's piloting at most a E-series kompressor at best.

 

So, it looks like he's spending beyond his means though it's a noble cause.

Are they spending beyond their means? The parents don't need car , don't need expensive watch collection, basically want to spend the bulk of their money on their children, while not pampering them with iphones, xbox or pocket money to hang out.I find it a better usage of their money if they can't coach them due to low education.

[Mason016]

Actually this cost might be transient.

They maybe spending more so that the dg can do her best for her PSLE and get into a good sec school. It may scale down in the future.

 

I mean it's not much different from some guys who take a 1 year car loan and literally spend all their salary paying for the installments to clear off future debt.

 

As a family, this is their goal. Just like how Darren Lim wants to bring his kids out into the open sea and homeschool his kids. 

 

If she gets into a good school, I can imagine the tuition costs will escalate.  Something about big fish in small pond to small fish in very big pond. 

[Lala81]

If she gets into a good school, I can imagine the tuition costs will escalate.  Something about big fish in small pond to small fish in very big pond. 

 

Not really. As a child gets older, the ability to self study and improve your own grades is there. I mean if you are conscientious about improving your grades, as a teenager, you can be much more pro-active in improving yourself.

 

I'm sure in primary school, without your teacher/tuition teacher/parents to come out with lesson plan to improve your grades, you will be hard pressed to do it yourself. But with some experience and motivation, it's much easier to improve yourself as you become more mature.

 

In fact, the more capable the people are around you, the more you learn by osmosis.

 

This picture is very apt.

 

Edited October 10, 2016 by Lala81

[Mason016]

 

Not really. As a child gets older, the ability to self study and improve your own grades is there. I mean if you are conscientious about improving your grades, as a teenager, you can be much more pro-active in improving yourself.

 

I'm sure in primary school, without your teacher/tuition teacher/parents to come out with lesson plan to improve your grades, you will be hard pressed to do it yourself. But with some experience and motivation, it's much easier to improve yourself as you become more mature.

 

In fact, the more capable the people are around you, the more you learn by osmosis.

 

This picture is very apt.

 

 

 

LOL! Very apt!!

 

I don't disagree, the amount of motivation from self and environment at your Bishan neighbourhood school is legendary.  

 

My own anecdotal observations of two schools is that there is a hefty amount of tuition / enrichment these days.  I think self-directed and self-motivated learning kinda went out of fashion for some batches.   

[Ingenius]

When my kids were very young, I also resisted having tuition for them and taught them myself, as I wanted to instill the self-learning and self-motivating habit.  But eventually I found out that I do not know the technique of maths problem solving, and I gave in.  I ever asked a close friend who is a full time tutor if tuition is really necessary, and he told me from his experience, yes.  I didn't quite believe him but in the end I do. I know of few people who spends crazy amount of money on tuition, e.g. close to $30,000 in few months before o level exam, $5k per month for pre-school childcare with ang mo teacher , and another one about $6k a month for a slight autistic primary school girl.  Goodness, it makes a car looks cheap.

[Lala81]

LOL! Very apt!!

 

I don't disagree, the amount of motivation from self and environment at your Bishan neighbourhood school is legendary.  

 

My own anecdotal observations of two schools is that there is a hefty amount of tuition / enrichment these days.  I think self-directed and self-motivated learning kinda went out of fashion for some batches.   

 

my friend teaches at one of the better sec schools in Singapore. He says tuition is just the norm nowadays and it's completely entrenched. Only the very smart or some of the less financially capable ones don't have tuition.

When my kids were very young, I also resisted having tuition for them and taught them myself, as I wanted to instill the self-learning and self-motivating habit.  But eventually I found out that I do not know the technique of maths problem solving, and I gave in.  I ever asked a close friend who is a full time tutor if tuition is really necessary, and he told me from his experience, yes.  I didn't quite believe him but in the end I do. I know of few people who spends crazy amount of money on tuition, e.g. close to $30,000 in few months before o level exam, $5k per month for pre-school childcare with ang mo teacher , and another one about $6k a month for a slight autistic primary school girl.  Goodness, it makes a car looks cheap.

 

my kids aren't in primary school yet.

 

I don't discount them having tuition in some form, though me and my wife should be able to cope with most subjects. Though i heard that Science is a bit tricky. Lol.

[Weez911]

Why we think it is ridiculous to pay so much for tuition fees for their own children? If there is a pill that without side effect that can make your child IQ increase by 100 points but it cost $1 million, many would take a loan from the bank and buy it.

 

 

Bro if there are such pills, I'm very sure the top 1% rich will buy all these pills and hoard them at home. All the pharmacies and clinics will hang "sold out" signs on the empty shelves.

 

In fact, I'm certain that will happen in Singapore    

This is a super race in our country that no one can afford to lose  . The stakes are too high.

Edited October 10, 2016 by Weez911

[Watwheels]

Education here is not about learning. In fact it's a competition with the number rankings and all. Look at the pre-school now vs our time. It's ridiculous. And who started this race?

Edited October 10, 2016 by Watwheels

[Ingenius]

I know of some young people who didn't excel in their studies (I trained them ) but after graduated , did very well in their career. So in a way I think that it is not a must to have a stellar academic qualification to succeed. But education opens up more door of opportunities that's all.

[Mason016]

Education here is not about learning. In fact it's a competition with the number rankings and all. Look at the pre-school now vs our time. It's ridiculous. And who started his race?

 

urm...parents. 

 

Not unique to us Asians hor.  Even ang mo countries ang mo children also have, they just don't publicise it as much. 

[Ingenius]

Education here is not about learning. In fact it's a competition with the number rankings and all. Look at the pre-school now vs our time. It's ridiculous. And who started his race?

Actually I kind of disagree. Last time education was about remembering the notes and the mathematical workings to score points. Nowadays it's a much higher level of learning , I.e. to learn to think and understand then formulate. That's why it is much tougher these days. Edited October 10, 2016 by Ingenius

[Lala81]

Education here is not about learning. In fact it's a competition with the number rankings and all. Look at the pre-school now vs our time. It's ridiculous. And who started his race?

 

It's the same everywhere.

City of London interns/banking associates in banks etc are greatly over-represented by private prep school alumni. 

A resume with a public school education is more likely to get a rejection letter than an interview one.

 

@Vid

 

Everywhere in the world, it's an education arms race. There will always be people who thrive outside the system. But i feel such people are inevitably going to be lesser and lesser.

 

If so, the self made towkays would have tossed their kids out into the streets to teach them lessons. I was reading about the OUE founder, Lien Ying Chow. He himself recognised that he was the last of a generation that could thrive without need for formal education and qualifications. 

And that was in the 1950s when he started donating generously and helping build Nantah.

 

 

Edited October 10, 2016 by Lala81

[Ingenius]

I don't blame the system, but rather it's the society that has reached a high standard and thus very competitive.

[Jman888]

I know of some young people who didn't excel in their studies (I trained them ) but after graduated , did very well in their career. So in a way I think that it is not a must to have a stellar academic qualification to succeed. But education opens up more door of opportunities that's all.

 

you trained them in university? not doing well in study can go uni?

[Ingenius]

you trained them in university? not doing well in study can go uni?

Not university . Example one student who had little interest in the course and fared poorly in all his subjects. He then graduated and worked in a totally different field and picked up the trade well. Coupled with good working habits and character , and of cos lucky to have superiors who recognised his work , he rose through the ranks and got promoted every few years to become a SVP in a local bank within fifteen years in his first and only job. Married with lovely kids and staying in private property. I know as I attended his wedding and we still keep in contact. Edited October 10, 2016 by Ingenius

[Vid]

It's the same everywhere.

City of London interns/banking associates in banks etc are greatly over-represented by private prep school alumni. 

A resume with a public school education is more likely to get a rejection letter than an interview one.

 

@Vid

 

Everywhere in the world, it's an education arms race. There will always be people who thrive outside the system. But i feel such people are inevitably going to be lesser and lesser.

 

If so, the self made towkays would have tossed their kids out into the streets to teach them lessons. I was reading about the OUE founder, Lien Ying Chow. He himself recognised that he was the last of a generation that could thrive without need for formal education and qualifications. 

And that was in the 1950s when he started donating generously and helping build Nantah.

 

I think people has to face the fact that the race is unfair.

 

- Some are born with better genes, i.e. smarter

- Some are born with silver spoons, i.e. rich family

- Some are born with both above

 

Either way, the lower rung of society has to work harder to get anywhere near those at the top. There are many factors to become successful. Not only does one have to be smart, they also require a certain amount of connections and x factor personality to succeed. Education alone can only do so much and that is where the richer kids have the advantage. The road ahead for them is easier with lots of opportunities.

 

Let me just say that after I send my kids to an International school, I came to realize that it is not education that parents there are after. They treat it as a place to socialize and broaden their connections. Are they really serious about studies? Yes and No. They want their children to be good, yet they do not have to be the smartest. The smartest ones usually work for them.

 

Whatever it is, I can say for certain that the gap will only get wider and wider... ...