School is ...

School is a place for people to learn, and be equipped with the necessary skills so that they can face the challenges they would meet in the outside world. It is a training ground, a place to groom them into leaders of the society, so as to contribute to the country, and the world.

I sometimes do wonder, why is it compulsory for us to go to school, and people from other countries do not. When I sat down and thought about it, I thought of how it would be like if children do not attend school since young. They will probably play the whole day, help out with their parents' work, or simply just have fun. So, ask yourself, what will happen if they grow up without school?

That's why I conclude that school not only helps children learn. It also helps the children spend their growing years wisely, making sure they learn and absorb as much as they can. Because at this stage, they are curious about many things around them, and their memory are probably the strongest. So this explains why many parents often remind children to study well, because they believe that while they're young, they can learn more things faster and easily.

Let's get back on track.

School education has certainly improved greatly as years passed. In the olden days, when only the rich can afford to attend school, until today, where everybody in Singapore, regardless of your financial abilities, has to attend school, it has shown us the great importance and impact of education in everybody's life.

Education gives us the basic knowledge to help us understand and learn things. As the education system improves, many schools are beginning to emphasise on being proactive in your learning, rather than depending on teachers to give you the required knowledge. Just to name an example in our school, the 'Teach Less Learn More' teaching method, is to get students to think and search for information on their own, without any assistance from teachers. They are often needed to work together in groups, and solve the problem tasks given to them together. This method of teaching, promotes teamwork, which can give them a headstart to preparing for their future careers (because people often have to work in groups, to complete a project, or to hand up a proposal or report to their boss, in their jobs).
Secondly, as I've mentioned, they need to be proactive, and source for information on their own. As we grow up and go out and work, we cannot rely on anybody, to give us the information we need. Simply because there are no teachers out there for you, no parents to help you. You are all on your own! Students have to be independent, and this has to start from young. That's one of the many reasons why CCAs are becoming more and more important in schools. Because it cultivates students to be independent, be a leader of their group, be working together with people.

Of course, you may wonder why the many subjects that we have to learn? I suppose this is to introduce us to the many different pathways in our careers. Given a wider range of subjects, students can choose from their personal interest. For example, if you are keen on Sciences, you will probably be a doctor or a chemist! Similarly, if you are keen on Mathematics, you can be an engineer, why not? That is why students have to be serious about school. They have to use this opportunity to find out their interests and strengths, based on how well they fair in each subjects. Because this gives them an overview and rough prediction of which career pathway they will go in the future.

So as you can see, the school's role in nurturing a child is equally important as that of a parent. Nowadays, schools focus on an all-rounded education, whereby not only knowledge are taught, they are also nurtured in the right way in terms of their character, their discipline and et cetra.
The sole purpose of it is therefore, to prepare them for the future. & school is definitely the right place for it, there isn't any place better than that.

Hence, I wish that all students can understand the importance of attending school. It's not just about the education they receives, it's also about the friends they made, the wonderful times they had. Be it winning a basketball championship with your teamates, be it receiving the loud applauses by the audience after the musical you and your fellow group members have put up.
It's all worth it, and worth reminscing. After you grow up, I'm sure you will never think that school is a boring thing. Instead, you will miss school, and the times you had with your friends. You may in fact tell your children again, like how typical parents do, "Study hard for school, because it's all for you own good", despite the many complains you gave while you're young.

Maybe the parents regret not studying well in the past, that's why they said that to you, to make sure you don't become like them. They want you to have a bright future, a good life. So, why waste our parents' effort and money to give you good education?
So, I hope all of us understands the true purpose of schooling in our life. It's most important reason, is to prepare us for the future, into the working world. The society is getting more and more competitive, if you don't prepare now, you will regret when you couldn't get the job that you want, the high salary which you envied. Like people say, "Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail". And preparation, is vital to achieving success :)

Pei Jun :)