Yesterday while I was showering, I began hypothesizing on something related to how the Singapore education system could be changed. And then this thought came up. To be honest, I did not do any research following my hypothesis so probably this model is being implemented in some other countries. After all, I have very limited general knowledge, even in my favourite aspect of education. But anyway, here's what my hypothesis was (please hear me out/read it through even if I may sound silly):
Could we possibly implement a system that does not use alphabetical grades in assessing students?
From my personal experience, I feel that having alphabetical grades i.e. A, A+, B-, C+ etc, creates a huge sense of competition (both healthy and unhealthy ones) between students and generates an immense amount of stress while learning. For education to truly be meant for its intended purpose, i.e. for learning, shouldn't we remove this system of grading using alphabets? It seems as if everyone is just striving for that A+ grade and the intended purpose of learning is gone. It's almost like we just wanna hit that KPI and that passion for learning is lost. In fact, most of my friends around me are studying in this field because of the career prospects and not for their passion in the area. I am guilty to admit that I belong to the same category too.
Anyway, I digress - so what I'm trying to say is that we remove the alphabetical grades and implement Pass/Fail systems for the assessment of students instead. Because like what the critics will claim, an assessment is still needed (which I agree to by the way) for schools to gauge their students' learning. And a Pass grade will only be awarded if students have been able to fulfil a certain criteria deemed suitable by their assessors/teachers, such as being able to demonstrate their knowledge in blahblah. So yes, examinations are still needed. On top of that, I think more assessments should be conducted on practical, hands-on skills instead of just theory. Even as an engineer myself, when I conduct laboratory work, half of the time I am not too sure what I'm doing and why I'm doing what I'm doing. So Pass grades should only be strictly awarded for students' capability to exhibit a full comprehension of the topic/module. At the end of the day, Pass grades should not be given so leniently e.g. by mere completion of the module like what is currently happening to Pass/Fail modules in my school. And what this means is that there is no such thing as GPA or Honours class or whatever not. So basically everyone needs x no. of Pass grades in order to graduate. You may wonder, then, how do employers select their employees since there is no longer a GPA/Hons class to use as a guide? Well, since the graduates would have graduated with Pass grades, they can be equated to all having the same technical knowledge and skills. Thus, the employment of a graduate will not be based on his accolades but his personality, extra-curricular activities and other capabilities. I think you get my drift here, ya?
Basically, I think in this hypothetical scenario, nobody loses and everyone wins. Students do not have to pull their hair over the alphabets and employers can be assured that all graduates are equally knowledgeable and equipped to take on a role in their company. In that sense, every graduate also stands an equal chance in getting employed since they are on the same level and there is no discrimination based on Honours class or GPA. In fact, some companies (I forgot which ones) have started removing the GPA criteria and are looking at other aspects during the recruitment of candidates as it has been proven that a good GPA does not equate to a good employee.
Overall, I don't see any potential drawbacks in doing so. And this is a fairly simple concept that I believe other countries may have adopted already. I really think it's something worth looking into and Singapore should consider taking on this approach to its education landscape.
Quite a while ago, I came across this on my Facebook:
"Go to university, but go for the right reasons. Education isn’t a gun held to your head: it’s a weapon in your hands. Go not because you’re afraid of not getting a job but go because you love to learn, because you’re excited by ideas, because you believe that education is important for its own sake, and when you get there, pay attention, read everything you can get your hands on, cram yourself with words and figures and ideas, because that’s the one thing they can never take away from you." Laurie Penney, The Independent, August 2012I believe if everyone could adopt this mindset, then motivation becomes intrinsic and no longer based on grades. Only then, we truly become passionate and excited to learn. And with that passion to learn, I believe getting a Pass grade (that may be more difficult to achieve) becomes a more meaningful and less stressful process.
