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PANDEMICS EFFECTS ON SINGAPOREAN STUDENTS
Just when we had thought daily life was going back to the way it was, another huge wave of cases has recently sent the country right back into restriction. The government has announced that effective from 27 September, group sizes are reduced back to a mere 2 pax, Work From Home returns as default, and school and tuition classes are once again forced, or encouraged depending on the age of the students, to revert back to Home-based learning (gov.sg).
The pandemic and its effects have affected Singaporean’s lives tremendously, and this is especially so for Singaporean students like those in primary, secondary and tertiary schools.
With the school classes and tuition classes flitting from online to offline and back, the restrictions on co-curricular, as well as social and leisurely activities, we wonder how these unpredictable times have affected students’ relationships, mental health, and learning environments- all of which have direct consequences on students’ learning. In this article, we will explore more.
Home Based Online Learning: Effective or Ineffective
COVID-19 Making Students More Academically Independent
The advent of COVID-19 and the measures that have accompanied it has arguably pushed students to become more self-directed and independent in their learning. No longer are teachers as easily accessible as they were in schools, and neither can teachers go over to a student and give them specialised attention should they need it in class- these are things that are just not possible over Zoom.
In order to overcome these difficulties, students are compelled to go out of their comfort zones and seek the help they want and need for their subjects. COVID-19 is inadvertently helping students develop a good habit of proactiveness that is beneficial for their future learning (Medium).
Here at Sophia Education, tuition teachers provide immediate question & answer support at any time through Whatsapp. We help students become more comfortable with asking for help, and ensure they are getting the best help they can from our top tier Singapore tuition teachers.
Common Last Topics: Removal of Topics in 2021 Examinations
Regardless of how used students are to online learning, the erratic changes to the school curriculums over the past year have of course impacted Singaporean students’ ability to learn the whole array of topics for PSLE, O-Levels, or A-Levels. COVID-19’s unpredictability has therefore caused MOE to remove the last topics of all content-based subjects for the 2021 examinations. (SEAB)
While this removal may cause alarm about how this may affect students’ learning in the long run, this has been a largely positive and necessary approach by the government. The government sees and acknowledges the negative impacts the pandemic has had on the country’s students.
One less topic to worry about during the examinations can do wonders for a child’s academic performance, but more importantly many students’ mental health as they continue to work hard during such an uncertain time. Mental health is an especially important aspect to consider in light of President Halimah Yacob’s words on mental health after the devastating events at River Valley High School. (CNA, Ganapathy)
Nervous about how changes to the curriculum might affect your revision process? Don’t fret, Sophia Education’s tuition teachers are flexible and provide strategic advice to help you through these changes. Find out more about them, and take your pick here.
Real Talk: Negative Effects Of COVID-19 On Students
When we talk about how COVID-19 has affected students in particular, we tend to focus on its tangible effects on their education. We ask questions like “Are their studies affected?”, “How will it impact their grades?”, “Will they be able to score as well?”.
But we must think about larger, intangible issues at hand, such as the effects of COVID-19 on their physical, social, and mental well-being. Afterall, all these things have been proven to have a collective impact on students’ academic performance.
Physical Activities Restricted
Due to the pandemic, there have been heavy restrictions on the type of activities students are able to enjoy during school time. Some, if not most, schools have had to close down the field and play areas in order to abide by safe-distancing measures and ensure students are not put at risk of infection. This is alarming considering how physical activity is pivotal to effective learning as it helps students regulate their behaviours and stay focused in class. (One World International School, Healy)
Furthermore in most schools, students have mostly been disallowed from interacting with students from other classes during their designated breaks, thereby severely limiting their social interactions. Students who may have friendship or bullying problems within their own class, and seek out friends from other classes, may feel especially vulnerable during this time. In general, however, these restrictions contribute to more loneliness and isolation amongst all students, thereby having adverse impacts on student’s mental health.
School Events and CCA sessions cancelled
In school, students used to look forward to the lively school-concerts in celebration of special events, or their CCA sessions in which they got to make new friends and expand and explore their skills and interests outside of the curriculum. These kinds of informal, academically unrelated events and activities are a core part of student’s learning, helping them develop emotional intelligence as they socialise and work with other students, and build relationships. (EduCo)
However, these opportunities have been few and far in light of COVID-19, with so many restrictions that almost take the original fun out of them in order to abide by the measures. Even worse, some events have had to be fully cancelled.
Without something to look forward to when attending school, be it friends, fun-filled school events and sessions, or just running around the field to get some fresh air in, school-life just becomes extremely mundane. While many might argue all these might be distractions that take time away from studying, these leisurely activities make for good breaks and stress-relievers for students. Without proper breaks from rigorous studying, students’ motivation and productivity in learning are very much diminished, and this has likely not translated well for some students’ academic performances.
Conclusion
As optimistic as we can be about the situation and how it has impacted Singaporean students’ learning and academic performances, we ultimately know that the COVID-19 pandemic (or endemic, as we have had professionals predicted), has been a tragedy that everyone has had to suffer through. What we can do, is take solace in the knowledge that we are getting through this disaster together, and take pride in how far you as young students have come in making the best out of a bad situation.
However, we recognise that facing the examinations during major examination years like PSLE, O-Levels and A-Levels is not a one-man battle. Sophia Education understands the pains and anxiety students are facing while gearing up for exams during these unprecedented times. This top Singapore tuition school has done our best to support and maintain our students’ learning progress, making sure no one is left behind and their lessons’ unaffected.
While Sophia Education prides itself on academic excellence, we also care deeply for our students’ mental health, cheering them on and extending help in the capacities that we are able to in order to help them reach their own potential. After all, doing well is not all about getting straight-As, but being proud of the work you’ve put in yourself and in your learning.
Give us a chance at inspiring and helping you reach your full potential by contacting us today!
