14 December 2019
As revealed by the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the fear of failure resonates with Singapore’s students.
It is well known that in Singapore, a student’s sense of self-worth and confidence is often influenced by how well he does academically. This is the result of a culture here where personal merit has been intertwined heavily with academic results.
Although Singapore was ranked second in the world in the Pisa assessment for how well 15-year-olds apply knowledge and skills, and solve problems, the study also showed that more than 70 per cent of the students reported being afraid of failure.
The Ministry of Education has said that a rational and moderate sense of fear can motivate students to work hard and do better.
However, education economist Kelvin Seah, from the National University of Singapore, said this fear of failure may prevent students from taking risks. “Thinking out of the box and giving creative answers, especially in exams, rather than sticking to established answers might be too risky for high performers because it could cost them their As.”