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Jan 7, 2010
System 'too rigid'
10-year-old boy passed O-level chemistry at age 7, but now studies in KL
<!-- by line --> By Amelia Tan & Joan Chew
<!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar -->
Ainan Cawley is a lot shorter than his classmates, but he stands as a giant among them because, at the age of 10, he's at college among teenage peers at HELP University College. -- PHOTO: NST
<!-- story content : start --> A 10-YEAR-OLD Singaporean prodigy is now studying in a private college in Malaysia, after his parents claimed they found the Singapore education system too rigid to cater to his genius. Ainan Cawley, of Irish and Malay parentage, made headlines when he became the youngest person in the world to pass his GCE O-level chemistry examination. He was seven then. He is now aiming for a degree from Help University College in Kuala Lumpur. Ainan, his parents and two younger siblings moved there last month. His father, Mr Valentine Cawley, 41, who tutored Ainan in physics and chemistry, said that for the family to consider returning to Singapore, 'Singapore would have to change in several ways'. He said: 'It would have to support Ainan a lot better than it has, for instance... and I don't see that happening, given what we have experienced so far.'
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
[email protected]
[email protected]
Latest comments <table style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left"><table style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left"><table class="Post" style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">
cclx3
The child prodigy you mentioned was born and bred in UK. However, her mother is a Johorean who has settled down in UK.
</td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">Posted by: sonickid at Thu Jan 07 19:39:08 SGT 2010
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The so called prodigy is just using this excuse as a foreigner PRs to try to escape National Service when he goes overseas to study.
</td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">Posted by: kennyticks2010 at Thu Jan 07 18:43:44 SGT 2010
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Otherside,
I do not understand how you came to a conclusion that all Malaysians are cheats based on my posting. My mom was a Malaysian. I am surrounded by friends and staff who are Malaysians too, and that thought has never crossed my mind. My impression of Malaysians are they are gentle and super hardworking!
What I was trying to say was the Malaysian government is too corrupted to spend proper time and money to build up an education system worthy enough for its people.
Everybody knows that any well-off Malaysian will bring their children over to Singapore to be educated. People who choose to do the reverse is pretty rare. It's so rare that it's almost as unimaginable as sending a SIngporean for terrorist training.
As for currychickenbakedrice (ccb-rice for short),
I too am a Singaporean and am deeply ashamed of your supposedly expensive comments. I need not explain my most direct comment to those irrational people who has the craziest notion that they are the fairest person in Singapore. I will rather they just bite me . .
</td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">Posted by: darkestknight at Thu Jan 07 16:37:31 SGT 2010
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There was a child prodigy from JB sometime back.
She went to a UK uni, and ended as a prostitute.
Her case was headline news a year or two ago in UK and in Malaysia.
</td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">Posted by: CCLCCLCCL at Thu Jan 07 16:36:37 SGT 2010
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Joussterr
You are absolutely right .
Leave the child have his own mind .
Good for him if he is super intelligent , he will sail thru life easier .
Let him have a childhood. Haven't we seen enough of pushy parents .
I am getting confused here , will someone remind me who wants to have that superduper education , the father or the son ?
</td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">Posted by: niederanven at Thu Jan 07 16:31:31 SGT 2010
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Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Jan 7, 2010
System 'too rigid'
10-year-old boy passed O-level chemistry at age 7, but now studies in KL
<!-- by line --> By Amelia Tan & Joan Chew
<!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar -->
Ainan Cawley is a lot shorter than his classmates, but he stands as a giant among them because, at the age of 10, he's at college among teenage peers at HELP University College. -- PHOTO: NST
<!-- story content : start --> A 10-YEAR-OLD Singaporean prodigy is now studying in a private college in Malaysia, after his parents claimed they found the Singapore education system too rigid to cater to his genius. Ainan Cawley, of Irish and Malay parentage, made headlines when he became the youngest person in the world to pass his GCE O-level chemistry examination. He was seven then. He is now aiming for a degree from Help University College in Kuala Lumpur. Ainan, his parents and two younger siblings moved there last month. His father, Mr Valentine Cawley, 41, who tutored Ainan in physics and chemistry, said that for the family to consider returning to Singapore, 'Singapore would have to change in several ways'. He said: 'It would have to support Ainan a lot better than it has, for instance... and I don't see that happening, given what we have experienced so far.'
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
[email protected]
[email protected]
Latest comments <table style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left"><table style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left"><table class="Post" style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">
cclx3
The child prodigy you mentioned was born and bred in UK. However, her mother is a Johorean who has settled down in UK.
</td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">Posted by: sonickid at Thu Jan 07 19:39:08 SGT 2010
</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left"><table style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left"><table class="AlternatePost" style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">
The so called prodigy is just using this excuse as a foreigner PRs to try to escape National Service when he goes overseas to study.
</td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">Posted by: kennyticks2010 at Thu Jan 07 18:43:44 SGT 2010
</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left"><table style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left"><table class="Post" style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">
Otherside,
I do not understand how you came to a conclusion that all Malaysians are cheats based on my posting. My mom was a Malaysian. I am surrounded by friends and staff who are Malaysians too, and that thought has never crossed my mind. My impression of Malaysians are they are gentle and super hardworking!
What I was trying to say was the Malaysian government is too corrupted to spend proper time and money to build up an education system worthy enough for its people.
Everybody knows that any well-off Malaysian will bring their children over to Singapore to be educated. People who choose to do the reverse is pretty rare. It's so rare that it's almost as unimaginable as sending a SIngporean for terrorist training.
As for currychickenbakedrice (ccb-rice for short),
I too am a Singaporean and am deeply ashamed of your supposedly expensive comments. I need not explain my most direct comment to those irrational people who has the craziest notion that they are the fairest person in Singapore. I will rather they just bite me . .
</td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">Posted by: darkestknight at Thu Jan 07 16:37:31 SGT 2010
</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left"><table style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left"><table class="AlternatePost" style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">
There was a child prodigy from JB sometime back.
She went to a UK uni, and ended as a prostitute.
Her case was headline news a year or two ago in UK and in Malaysia.
</td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">Posted by: CCLCCLCCL at Thu Jan 07 16:36:37 SGT 2010
</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left"><table style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left"><table class="Post" style="width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">
Joussterr
You are absolutely right .
Leave the child have his own mind .
Good for him if he is super intelligent , he will sail thru life easier .
Let him have a childhood. Haven't we seen enough of pushy parents .
I am getting confused here , will someone remind me who wants to have that superduper education , the father or the son ?
</td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;" align="left">Posted by: niederanven at Thu Jan 07 16:31:31 SGT 2010
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