I AGREE with Mr Ling Ming Hui that it is not possible for any interview panel to dig deep into young minds to find any character weaknesses or to discern their - possibly hidden - psychological state ("No foolproof method to awarding scholarships"; Thursday).
However, we can definitely do more to ensure our students are strong mentally.
When I was involved in counselling, I had the opportunity to listen to many students, who lamented the strong emphasis on academic excellence and talked about how no one seemed interested in other aspects of their well-being. For them, school starts when the sky is still dark and ends when the sky turns dark.
Even primary school children wake up at 5.30am and school and after-school activities keep them busy till dusk.
We must equip students with the ability to be resilient. We need to build, from a young age, able bodies that are not just strong physically but also mentally.
Shirley Woon (Madam)
However, we can definitely do more to ensure our students are strong mentally.
When I was involved in counselling, I had the opportunity to listen to many students, who lamented the strong emphasis on academic excellence and talked about how no one seemed interested in other aspects of their well-being. For them, school starts when the sky is still dark and ends when the sky turns dark.
Even primary school children wake up at 5.30am and school and after-school activities keep them busy till dusk.
We must equip students with the ability to be resilient. We need to build, from a young age, able bodies that are not just strong physically but also mentally.
Shirley Woon (Madam)
