There has been much discussion about the phrase “every school is a good school,” encompassing both neighborhood and elite schools.
Over the past decade, PM Lee has repeatedly emphasized the need to de-emphasize grades and paper qualifications in Singapore’s education system.
Tracing back to the National Day Rally 2010, the government’s narrative has been consistent: “We are working to de-emphasize grades, school prestige, and university degrees in our society.”
The “Every school is a good school” initiative is a well-intentioned effort, but I sense a disconnect between the message and its reception.
Many remain skeptical about whether Singapore is truly moving away from placing disproportionate value on school prestige and grades.
Even educators have voiced their doubts. For instance, Jurong West Secondary School’s Vice-Principal Pushparani Nadarajah once said:
“How many of our leaders and top officers who say that every school is a good school put their children in ordinary schools near their homes? (Only) until they actually do so are parents going to buy (it).”
Her candid remark resonated widely, sparking conversations about the gap between rhetoric and reality.
I have also seen comments online asserting that success is solely about hard work or parenting.
While I agree parenting plays a significant role, schools undeniably shape children’s experiences and opportunities in profound ways.
Having attended both an average secondary school and an elite junior college in Singapore, I’d like to humbly share my observations on the differences between these two environments. Please note that my perspective is personal and limited to my experiences—it does not represent every school or student.
I began my journey at a mixed-stream secondary school where the entry PSLE score for affiliation was around 188. The school included Normal Academic and Normal Technical streams and reflected the socio-economic diversity typical of neighbourhood schools.
Later, I attended a top-tier junior college with highly competitive entry requirements. Many of my peers came from elite secondary schools like Raffles Girls’ School and Dunman High, often entering through academic excellence or specialized Direct School Admissions (DSA) programs.
Here are some of my observations:
1. Elite schools offer opportunities to learn from ambitious peers
Elite schools often provide students with access to ambitious peers, accomplished alumni, and unique programs.
These environments foster a culture of striving for scholarships, leadership positions, and prestigious internships.
I recall in junior college, some of my peers got to go to Japan and Switzerland for learning programs. There were also plentiful opportunities to travel overseas for CIP. I personally benefited a lot from attending Pre-U Seminar which helped me meet many smart and inspiring students from other JCs.
t’s common to see seniors and alumni excelling across many areas—achieving top grades, taking on challenging subjects like H3, succeeding in sports or music, building impressive portfolios, engaging in research with institutions like A*STAR, securing leadership roles, or organizing initiatives with grand titles.
There’s a stereotype in Singapore that the best students are just academic overachievers or “nerds.”
However, the reality is that many are well-rounded individuals excelling in academics, extracurriculars, leadership, and community service.
Being surrounded by such ambitious and high-achieving peers naturally influences you—you gain insights into what’s important for scholarships and a strong CV, and you work hard to reach those goals.
Upon graduation, students from elite schools often benefit from strong networks. Many of my friends have gone on to study not only at Singapore’s top three universities but also at renowned institutions like Stanford, the University of Pennsylvania, Peking University, and Cambridge.
This network often fosters ambition, with students exchanging ideas and inspiring one another.
In contrast, students from neighborhood schools or less prominent JCs may have a different focus.
While there are certainly some driven individuals who excel academically and in CCAs, there’s often less emphasis on building portfolios or pursuing prestigious internships.
After JC or NS, many take on temp jobs or admin work, while students from top JCs often explore internships, research opportunities, or even starting their own ventures.
These differences highlight how our environment and peers can shape our awareness and priorities. Neither path is inherently better—it’s about understanding the opportunities available to us and making the most of them.
2. Elite school students tend to come from wealthier families
Another significant difference I’ve observed between neighborhood and elite schools lies in family income and parental education levels.
It seems that many students in elite schools aren’t there purely because of their abilities but because they’ve had significant advantages from the start.
In 2010, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew shared striking statistics showing that children with university-educated parents were far more likely to excel in school.
For instance, more than half of the students in top schools like Raffles Institution, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), and Nanyang Girls’ High had fathers who were degree holders and came from wealthy families. In contrast, at Chai Chee Secondary School—a neighborhood school—only 13.1% of students had fathers with degrees, and this was the highest percentage among the schools where data was available.
I noticed a similar pattern when comparing my peers in Victoria Junior College to friends from the Normal Academic and Normal Technical streams.
According to Minister Mentor Lee, these differences stem from privileged children benefiting from “more favorable learning environments at home,” shaped by better-educated parents.
Educated parents tend to be more supportive because they understand what is needed to succeed, having experienced it themselves. They are often more aware of educational trends, have access to better networks, and are proactive in guiding their children toward success.
For example, educated parents often see enrichment activities as investments in their child’s growth, whereas less-educated parents may perceive them as unnecessary or wasteful expenses. I’ve had friends who missed out on overseas programs because their parents deemed them unsafe or a waste of money, while their more well-off peers were able to seize these opportunities and enhance their portfolios.
Wealthier families also have more disposable income, which can be channeled into their children’s education and development—whether through tuition, premium co-curricular activities like fencing or golf, or specialized enrichment courses.
Policies like Direct School Admission, which reward skills in sports, arts, or music, can inadvertently favor children from wealthier families who’ve had the means to develop these talents.
Ultimately, these disparities highlight how family background can play a significant role in shaping educational opportunities.
While it’s humbling to acknowledge these systemic advantages, it’s also a reminder of the importance of striving for greater equity in education, so all students can reach their full potential regardless of their starting point.
3. Elite schools have more opportunities
Elite schools generally offer more opportunities compared to neighborhood schools, particularly when it comes to affiliations. For example, students who start at Nanyang Primary have an advantage in admissions to Nanyang Girls’, which then provides a smoother pathway to HCI, and so on.
In terms of teaching, elite schools often attract slightly better teachers due to their reputation and resources.
At VJC, for instance, my geography and literature teachers were from the UK. However, this wasn’t always the case—I also had a mediocre mathematics teacher and an average GP teacher.
While elite schools may have better funding, I wouldn’t say they always have better study materials. I often found myself outsourcing notes from other schools, like Jurong JC’s economics notes and ACJC’s geography notes, which were more helpful than the ones provided at my school.
One undeniable aspect of elite schools is their abundance of funding and resources, but accessing these opportunities often comes with intense competition.
Everyone is vying for spots in conferences, seminars, study trips, and other activities to build their portfolios. Despite applying for many opportunities, I found it challenging to secure a place due to the high demand.
As a result, you’ll often see students from elite JCs seeking opportunities outside school, such as volunteering with NGOs, attending Meet-the-People Sessions, or joining grassroots organizations like Youth Executive Committees.
While many of them may be driven by genuine intentions, for some, these external opportunities are simply more accessible than the highly competitive ones within school.
In contrast, neighborhood JC students may find it easier to stand out and access opportunities. Being a “big fish in a small pond” allows them to build their resumes with less competition.
Both environments come with their unique advantages and challenges, and success often depends on how individuals navigate the opportunities available to them.
4. Exposure to Diversity
Many people assume that students from elite schools aren’t exposed to society in a meaningful way.
While I can see where this perception comes from, I think it’s more about exposure to different aspects of life rather than a lack of exposure altogether.
In neighborhood schools, students are often more exposed to the personal challenges some of their peers face, such as family problems or difficult circumstances.
These experiences can foster empathy and a deeper understanding of real-world struggles.
In elite schools, however, the exposure is different. The environment often normalizes achievements that might seem extraordinary elsewhere, making students less easily impressed.
For example, in a neighborhood school, having a classmate who is a national athlete might feel remarkable and rare. But in elite schools, it’s not uncommon. In my class of 20, I had one or two national players, and they were scattered throughout my level as well. This kind of environment subtly shapes your perspective and expectations.
Both experiences have their own value—one teaches empathy and resilience, while the other cultivates ambition and a broader sense of what’s possible.
Ultimately, it’s about recognizing the strengths of each environment and learning from them.
5. Mindsets and Priorities
The culture in elite schools often emphasizes achievement and merit, but this can sometimes lead to a narrow view of success. Reflecting on my own experiences, I’ve seen how the types of peers we surround ourselves with can significantly shape our performance and trajectory in life, in both positive and challenging ways.
In junior college, I remember how recess conversations among my classmates often touched on subjects like literature, history, society, entrepreneurship, scholarships, or university plans. Students might talk about whether to attend NTU’s open house, a U.S. university fair, or which college they aspired to join.
These discussions were inspiring in many ways. They fostered a culture of focus, academic growth, and learning from other high performers.
At the same time, they could feel overwhelming, as the constant comparison and pressure to keep up sometimes took a toll on our mental well-being.
I personally found some attitudes among acquaintances from top JCs off-putting. There seemed to be an elitist mindset where people judged others based on their achievements.
For instance, I had schoolmates who openly stated they wouldn’t consider dating someone who scored below 9 points for their L1R5 in O-Levels. At inter-JC events, I some times encountered people who would ask about my JC and credentials before even asking for my name. There was also a tendency among some classmates to deliberately want to be close to those who excelled academically.
My guess is there could be a lack of awareness about inherited meritocracy. Many seemed to believe that working hard and being smart were the only factors that brought them success, without acknowledging the role of privileges like supportive families, better resources, or strong networks.
This often led to assumptions that those who didn’t achieve similar success were simply lazy or incapable.
On the other hand, I’ve observed that students in neighborhood schools often had a more balanced approach to life.
That said, neighborhood or less prominent schools aren’t entirely free from issues either. Discrimination exists in different forms. For instance, in my secondary school, lookism was a major issue. Girls perceived as “fat and ugly” were often targets of mockery, which was deeply troubling to me.
During recess, their conversations tended to be less about grades or portfolios and more about gaming, hobbies, or school happenings.
While this created a relaxed and enjoyable environment, it also meant fewer opportunities to learn about academic improvement or portfolio-building.
Both environments have their strengths and trade-offs.
I’ve come to realize that the key lies in striking a balance—learning from high-performing peers while ensuring there’s room for broader, more diverse experiences that enrich our perspective on success and life as a whole.
Of course, my observations are shaped by my own experiences. Some differences might also be attributed to the fact that one comparison is between secondary school and JC, which naturally comes with varying levels of maturity and priorities.
Regardless, these experiences have highlighted how much our environments influence not only what we talk about but also the values and perspectives we develop over time.
Moving Forward
It is important to acknowledge the differences between schools without becoming idealistic or dismissive. Every child deserves an environment where they can thrive, regardless of the school they attend.
Singapore’s education system has made strides in recognizing diverse talents and pathways to success. However, there is more work to be done to ensure inclusivity and equal access to opportunities for all children.
Ultimately, the goal should not be to label schools as “better” or “worse,” but to ensure that every school can provide students with the tools, support, and encouragement they need to reach their fullest potential.
As we look to the future, let us continue to reflect on how we can build an education system that uplifts every child, regardless of their starting point in life.
If you enjoyed this article, do check out my other posts on Why elitism in Singapore exists and how we can change it.