Beware of pressure cooker society

I APPRECIATE yesterday's article on the trend in primary schools to offer supplementary lessons ('Too young for extra lessons?').

The introduction of 'near compulsory' supplementary lessons for Primary 3 and 4 children has taken many parents by surprise. I am one of them.

Although a consent form was given for the lessons, which are offered twice a week, I was made to understand that pupils were strongly encouraged to participate. While I decided against it, I found to my horror that the school bus timings had been rearranged to take the children home after supplementary lessons.

That meant those parents who elected out would have to make alternative transport arrangements. A price I have to pay for taking my child out of the supplementary lessons.

I had elected out for reasons similar to what another parent, Mrs Sherley Servos, mentioned in the article. As parents, we feel that at this age, the child should be offered more time for recuperation and play.

Supplementary lessons at this stage - Primary 3 and 4 - should be reserved for weaker pupils. Conducting mass lessons will yield little value for weaker pupils as this group needs focused coaching. And I am doubtful about the value-add to the stronger pupils.

There is also this larger problem of having too many classes from a young age. The related report ('Even preschools have enrichment classes'; yesterday) attests to this fact.

Some schools have suggested that a majority of parents do not mind and some even want it. Most parents would be afraid their children will lose out and only a few like us would take this extraordinary step to elect out.

I fear such classes will have a detrimental effect in the long run. What level of enrichment will be enough? What will be the opportunity cost in piling lessons on a child from a young age? Are we a pressure cooker society in the making?

Schools should be helping parents to ensure children have an all-rounded education, beyond academic excellence. The recent initiatives suggest the contrary.

M.G.R. Maran Paramanathan (2nd Feb 2011)