Kiasu and Kiasi - wonderful sinkapore traits

[winnipegjets]

Parents in Singapore love extra tuition
Law Zhi Tian and Cheow Sua-Ann | The New Paper | Wed May 1 2013

SINGAPORE - Her daughter regularly scores in the 80s for tests and examinations.

But it's not good enough for housewife Teo L. H.

"Not for PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination) if she wants to get into a top school," she said.

"And not good enough if she wants to get into a school that conducts the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme."

Her daughter, now 12 and in Primary 6, hopes to study overseas when she turns 19 and the IB programme prepares her to excel at independent learning, said Madam Teo.

So Madam Teo has signed her daughter up for tuition six days a week. The girl's classes start after school at 4pm and end at 9pm.

But more than just time, Madam Teo has also invested a considerable amount in her daughter's tuition - $3,000 per month.

Kiasu? She's not the only mother worried about her child's grades.

Parents here collectively spend US$680 million (S$840 million) on tuition in a year, a report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) showed.

The ADB report, quoting 2012 figures, said the amount spent on private supplementary tutoring has been on the rise and has doubled from just a decade ago.

Close to one in two Singaporean parents spend on tuition for their children, MasterCard's latest survey on Consumer Purchasing Priorities - Education showed.

And the exam du jour now? The PSLE.

So while it may be five months to the PSLE, parents are already panicking.

That's because demand for tuition is so hot, some tuition centres and tutors say they are running full.

Take Lynn Tuition Centre, which has seven branches islandwide and is one of the biggest in the business with lessons in all subjects.

They take in students from the primary to junior college levels.

A spokesman told The New Paper late last month: "Most of our classes are full. We've had to turn away some students, especially those who applied for weekend classes."

The mid-year examinations, which, for most schools, are just weeks away, has helped fuel demand.

The Lynn Tuition Centre spokesman said there has been a spike in applications for tuition after every Continuous Assessment (CA) and mid-year assessment in school.

Mr Justin Lee, 26, who owns online tuition agency Ace Tutors, has also noticed the trend.

He said: "After the shock of every CA or Meet-the-Parents session, we would see an increase in requests from Primary 6 pupils as parents try to get tuition to help their child."

Mr Lee shares that as an online agency, they do not usually turn customers away.

They don't operate classes, but match students to tutors and lessons are often conducted at home.

But the demand for tutors is so high that his agency has had to put parents on a waiting list.

Mr Lee said that some parents have to wait for up to two months.

Out of about 200 requests for private tutors he receives from parents in a month, 20 are from parents with children in Primary 6.

Tutors who are current or ex-teachers trained by the Education Ministry seem to be the top choice despite their considerably higher fees.

Mr Lee said while most of his tutors charge an hourly rate of $25 to $35, these charge an hourly rate of $60 to $80. Some have even raised their rates to $100 an hour.

And that's up from their previous charge of $45 per hour in 2012.

Mr Lee added: "The supply of such tutors is always limited and there is great demand for them. Parents want confidence and these teachers provide the assurance that their child is in experienced hands.

"Parents trust the training these teachers have and believe that their teaching style is more relevant and helpful.

"Although it's sometimes a bit beyond the parents' budget, about 50 per cent of parents are still willing to pay for one of these tutors."

Top cut-off points last year

262

Nanyang Girls' High School

261

Raffles Girls' School (Secondary)

261

Raffles Institution

258

Hwa Chong Institution

258

National Junior College

(All offer IP leading to A levels)

247

Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)

242

St. Joseph's Institution

(Both offer IP leading to IB diploma)

 

[winnipegjets]

So Madam Teo has signed her daughter up for tuition six days a week. The girl's classes start after school at 4pm and end at 9pm.
But more than just time, Madam Teo has also invested a considerable amount in her daughter's tuition - $3,000 per month.

The well-off will always be better off because they have the dough to spend to give their kids the edge. Social mobility is dead in sinkapore when the median take-home of sinkee is $1700.

Tutors who are current or ex-teachers trained by the Education Ministry seem to be the top choice despite their considerably higher fees.

Mr Lee said while most of his tutors charge an hourly rate of $25 to $35, these charge an hourly rate of $60 to $80. Some have even raised their rates to $100 an hour.

If you are a teacher, you would rather put all your effort on your moonlighting job where the enumeration is so much higher.

 

[laksaboy]

The number of tuition centres and moneylending shops sprouting up around my place is quite astonishing. There weren't that many 2-3 years back.

 

[laksaboy]

The well-off will always be better off because they have the dough to spend to give their kids the edge. Social mobility is dead in sinkapore when the median take-home of sinkee is $1700.

When you peg social (upward) mobility to a systematic regurgitation of rote learning, it's quite obvious those who can afford extra educational costs gain the edge.

You're also telling your kids that Lui Tuck Yew is a role model and someone whom they should emulate. Study hard, get that SAF scholarship, join the PAP, and be set for life. It's a vicious cycle.

 

[jw5]

Don't forget Kiaboh, Kiabor and Kiachenghu.

Yes. these 3 also make the problem worse and add on to the Kiasu and the Kiasee.

Actually there is someone in particular who is responsible for these traits and their inheritence and pervasiveness.

The Kiachenghu, which you can take to mean the chenghu of first world countries, he pretty much fits the bill for all 5 Kias.

 

[Poomer]

Thanks to an overzealous educational system. A government without empathy and foresight. Foreigner in your homeland. We are pretty fucked arent we?

 

[syed putra]

All you need is smaller classes so that the teacher will know that the students understand what was taught. That will save students time and parents their money.
In the west, there is no such thing as tuition. Just stick to your course work and understand what was taught and you will get good results. The rest of the free time, go play cricket or something.

 

[lesMISERABLES]

When you peg social (upward) mobility to a systematic regurgitation of rote learning, it's quite obvious those who can afford extra educational costs gain the edge.

There is a term for this: Singaporean style of MERITOCRACY.

You're also telling your kids that Lui Tuck Yew is a role model and someone whom they should emulate. Study hard, get that SAF scholarship, join the PAP, and be set for life. It's a vicious cycle.

It's also familiar refrain in Ah Tiong land. Since childhood every Chinese is brainwashed to join the Chinese Communist Party if they want o succeed in life (read: amass massive wealth)

 

[lesMISERABLES]

There is a proper word for "kiasu". it is hysterophobia (= fear of losing out).

"Kiasu" people are called hysterophobes.

 

[winnipegjets]

All you need is smaller classes so that the teacher will know that the students understand what was taught. That will save students time and parents their money.
In the west, there is no such thing as tuition. Just stick to your course work and understand what was taught and you will get good results. The rest of the free time, go play cricket or something.

Sinkapore will have its own model ....top classes will have class size of 15 ...all others will have 50 students per class. That way, the cream of the crop will get all the resources and help and the others will just go through the motion of an education, after all their fate in life is to serve the upper class.
So, don't ever believe that the PAP works for all sinkees ...the PAP serves themselves first, foreigners second and the elites.

 

[The_Hypocrite]

No wonder Singapore is getting bad to worse,,Singaporean traits brought about by Hokkeins due to being dominated by Hokkeins and Hokkein dialect is soo followed by Singaporens.kiasu, kia see, kia bor, kia cheng hu..all hokkein words.Look at countries with Hokkein dominance,,all went down hill...Pinoyland, Indonland like in Jakarta and Mudland,,but at least i see the light in Penang controlled by oppos..but improving..

 

[zhihau]

Tutors who are current or ex-teachers trained by the Education Ministry seem to be the top choice despite their considerably higher fees. Mr Lee said while most of his tutors charge an hourly rate of $25 to $35, these charge an hourly rate of $60 to $80. Some have even raised their rates to $100 an hour. And that's up from their previous charge of $45 per hour in 2012. Mr Lee added: "The supply of such tutors is always limited and there is great demand for them. Parents want confidence and these teachers provide the assurance that their child is in experienced hands. "Parents trust the training these teachers have and believe that their teaching style is more relevant and helpful.

MOE not paying enough? why is moonlighting even allowed?

 

[The_Hypocrite]

Because of the inherited Hokkein traits of Kiasu, Kia see etc ingrained into the singapore psyche, dont earn money now, than when to earn ah? 60 to 100 for an hour of easy job,,I also want to do man,

MOE not paying enough? why is moonlighting even allowed?

 

[laksaboy]

Because of the inherited Hokkein traits of Kiasu, Kia see etc ingrained into the singapore psyche, dont earn money now, than when to earn ah? 60 to 100 for an hour of easy job,,I also want to do man,

I don't think the 'kia' traits are uniquely Hokkien traits. I don't think Taiwan is that bad, and most Taiwanese are ethnically Hokkien.

 

[laksaboy]

MOE not paying enough? why is moonlighting even allowed?

Besides the easy money, it is no secret that the best and brightest teachers have left MOE to hop onto the tuition bandwagon.

Those that remain in MOE are the 'cannot make it' ones. The freshly minted teachers from NIE may be bright-eyed and enthusiastic at first, but eventually they too get disillusioned with the MOE system. Getting some part-time experience in tuition helps them plan their exit.

 

[kiwibird7]

Parents in Singapore love extra tuition
Law Zhi Tian and Cheow Sua-Ann | The New Paper | Wed May 1 2013

SG parents who got SO MUCH MONEY are silly to waste it on private tuition to get good grades on order to get into premier schools. The poor kid has to waste so much energy and effort just to get into NUS and most probably get his/her job stolen by an FT.

Won't it be better to save all the private tuition money and just get by in a regular primary, secondary, Pre-U school then use the money saved to get into a foreign Uni instead without all that needless burning of midnight oil?

Foreign Degrees are considered more TOK-KONG than local NUS degrees despite NUS supposedly high world rankings. I reckon that SG companies look more favourably on foreign degree holders hence the FT advantage over local trained.

Furthermore, a foreign degree would increase one's chances of emigration too.

 

[tonychat]

There is a proper word for "kiasu". it is hysterophobia (= fear of losing out).

"Kiasu" people are called hysterophobes.

You are very educated. However, the losers here are not.

I just refer to these people as "low life sinkie losers", this.. the sinkies here will understand better.