In the year 2021, Kuen Cheng High School implemented a new class arrangement system in place of the old practice by alphabetical order. This new system stirred up vigorous discussion on various forums when it was announced. The matter was touched upon during the back-to-school ceremony in January, however the basis for the new class arrangement was not thoroughly addressed, leaving many with questions and speculations. As such, the Newsletter Club conducted an interview with the Principal, Dr Chua Lee Lee to get to the bottom of this matter.
In the interview, Madam Chua explained that the ZSMD (真善美德) class naming system is actually a small part of larger reformations the School Administration has been planning. The needs of students have always been rapidly evolving over the time. Yet, the current education system at large still utilizes assessment measures dating back to the industrial revolution from two centuries ago. That period saw the rise of standardised testing, which arose from the need to effectively mass measure the quality of the “products” of the system each year. Academic streaming was another result of this dehumanising system, according to the Principal.
The logical benefit of academic streaming is obvious, yet its flaws are detrimental to the social and psychological development of the youth. Competition and pride regarding academic achievement is a matter no student is unfamiliar with. It is our Principal’s utmost belief that each and every student of Kuen Cheng High School is exceptional and excellent in their own right. Any student who makes it into Kuen Cheng High School has weathered a great deal to get here. But sometimes that excellence is not always obvious.
There are many factors that can affect one’s achievements at a certain point in time. Among those who get put at the bottom of the line, some just might not have found the right study method yet. Others might still be maturing and trying to find their balance. But they still face the unflattering label of “below average”, which is a dangerous blow to one’s self-esteem in a time where students are trying to figure out their identities. At times, even students from the elite classes break down at the thought of dropping from class A to B. The idea of pride and class order is intertwined and emphasised to the point of toxicity even until today.
The new class arrangement aims to eliminate the misleading label of “Jr1U”, “Jr3Q” and the like. Madam Chua wants to make sure that teachers, parents and students themselves know that they are not bad eggs, just in a different stage from others, with different learning needs. Despite this, the Principal does acknowledge the practicality of academic streaming. It allows educators to tailor their teaching style to maximise efficiency, to know when they are free to speed up and address more complicated issues, or to go over the main material more meticulously. As such, the ZSMD (真善美德) system also aims at striking a balance between academic streaming and maintaining a relative mix of skill level.
Lastly, Madam Chua notes that changes take time, and everyone involved is putting effort into change. Perhaps this sounds like the simple repackaging of an old system under a new name, but then why would teachers willingly spend their holiday off-time participating in a professional educator’s training program under the School’s recommendation? Why would hundreds of parents come forward and attend Kuen Cheng’s special talks designed uniquely for parents? There are efforts being made. Change does take time, and the hope is that one day, no schooling in any class assigned was inferior to that in the rest of Kuen Cheng High School, just because of an alphabet letter!
