The Perennial Obsession with Grades

Well, the title says it all.

Even as the furore sparked by a principal's controversial ITE advice to her Sec 5 students has yet to abate, the local media's attention has turned to rosier news on our academic landscape.

It's that time of year again, when PSLE, O and A level results are released in succession, and journalists have a field day interviewing "scholars" and those who overcame great odds to excel, further fuelling the national obsession with grades.

Well everyone in fourayeohthree made it to the top three JCs, and 04S7A was the best-performing class in our year, so you could say I'm not that used to doing badly myself, or seeing my peers falter for that matter. And I never really empathised with those who cried when they did unexpectedly well or badly, because for me and most of those around me, everything was more or less within expectations. And there was a time when I believed that you could do well as long as you worked hard, and those who failed only had themselves to blame for not being conscientious enough.

But now I know I'm wrong. I guess I've matured some since the time I left school, and given the nature of my current job, I'm more inclined to put myself in the shoes of those who've stumbled at the academic hurdle.

It set me thinking when my 'clients' reacted negatively after I told them I was from HC. I wondered if I was too pompous or insensitive. But my intention was really only to share a piece of information about myself, and not to flaunt (if it's even worth flaunting, that is), so how could it have been misconstrued as such?

I had similar experinces during NS, when a superior constantly accused me of being scheming and tried to thwart me, while another blatantly demanded that "the HC guy" speak up when a group of us erred. That's when I realised how smart my fellow bunkmate was by lying low and preferring to say that he's going to a local uni instead of the prestigious one he's actually headed for on a scholarship.

And so I've learnt - the hard way - that society's obsession with grades has become so acute that people tend to see you with tinted lenses when you declare your academic "pedigree". It almost feels like you're telling the other party your father is a tycoon or something - there's nothing wrong, but the "ego" thing is just difficult to stomach. Interaction and subsequent friendships become hindered when he/she goes in with the preconceived notion that you are elite, and by extension (or other warped logic), elitist, and will therefore look down on him/her.

It's really the inferiority complex at work, but most people probably wouldn't admit they harbour such feelings. But if you were truthful to yourself, could you seriously say that such feelings have never affected your behaviour or judgement?

I fully understand this psyche, because when I see sportmen, I sometimes get intimidated and feel somewhat inferior. I guess it's that same kind of feeling when you see someone with fabulous grades. But at the end of the day, should we be judged based on our achievements (academic or otherwise), or for who we are, as a friend or counterpart?

Enough of the rhetoric already. My point is, the achievements of those who've done well deserves celebration but not glorification, and do so with no hard feelings because they might very well have worked just as hard, or harder than you. Or maybe they're just a little smarter, but it's not their fault. They deserve to be treated like everyone else, as long as they're not some arrogant a**.

And for those who didn't do that well, they deserve a pat on the back as well if they've tried their best. Our society needs to get over the unhealthy obsession with grades, and recognise that doing well in school is not the only, albeit the most conventional, pathway to success. If more encouragement could be given for them to continue to strive, or to seek excellence/fulfillment in other fields, our students would be a much happier bunch.