Parents want certainty over their children’s future. That’s fuelling the education arms race

Parents in Singapore increasingly recognise the importance of holistic development, but growing anxiety about an unpredictable future continues to drive demand for tuition, enrichment programmes and other measurable forms of preparation.

Writing in The Straits Times, Assistant Professor Cheung Hoi Shan, a developmental psychologist at the National Institute of Education, and Mr Leonard Lim, Adjunct Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), examined findings from a nationally representative IPS survey of 1,500 parents with children in primary schools.

The survey found encouraging changes in parental attitudes between 2016 and 2026. More parents now value happy learning environments, social-emotional development and opportunities for children to learn from failure. They are also less likely to regard examination results or progression to reputable secondary schools as the only indicators of a good education.

However, these shifts have not reduced parental anxiety. Nearly 90 per cent of parents reported feeling stressed about their children’s education, compared with about 73 per cent in 2016. Average monthly spending on tuition rose from $318 to $677, while spending on enrichment increased from $125 to $355.

The authors suggest that Singapore’s education “arms race” has shifted rather than disappeared. Parents may want a broader definition of success, yet still feel compelled to ensure that their children do not fall behind. Rapid advances in artificial intelligence, changing career pathways and global competition have made the future harder to predict. Structured programmes, qualifications and certificates can therefore offer parents a reassuring sense of control.

Yet no amount of planning can completely future-proof a child. A/P Cheung and Mr Lim argue that parents can better prepare children by allowing them to make age-appropriate decisions, overcome setbacks, pursue their interests and become comfortable with uncertainty. These everyday experiences help cultivate resilience, curiosity, adaptability and interpersonal skills.

As employers increasingly consider skills, values and potential alongside academic credentials, preparing children for the future should go beyond accumulating achievements. The most valuable support parents can provide may be confidence in their children’s ability to respond, adapt and flourish when the path ahead is uncertain.

Read the original article here.