19 February 2019
Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam has said that parents have to adapt to the nation’s evolving educational system.
He said that students need the right mix of high expectations and encouragement, as well as the space to think independently and creatively.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam was speaking at an education conference organized by Hwa Chong Institution.
Citing studies in the United States on the trend of “helicopter parenting”, Mr Tharman said that such behaviour has negative long-term psychological effects on their offspring.
At the same time, Singapore’s system of meritocracy must also keep adapting to sustain social mobility.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam extolled the virtues of the Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme, which recognises talents outside pupils’ academic results.