PSLE Results

Hi everyone,

I so sincerely apologise as I have been very busy even thou its the Mavis holidays. Why? We are starting a new branch in Pasir Ris (Blk 443 @ Pasir Ris Drive 6, remember to recommend your frends living there over to Mavis k? ") ) In fact, we bought over a childcare centre as well and I have been spending vitually every single day of my holidays there.

The PSLE results are out. Just like in every battle or every war, there will be victors, there will however, also be casualties. Thats just the way exams are...we all hope and pray that we do well, that all the trememdous amount of effort that we have put in along the way pay dividends. Most of the time, we are rewarded for our hard work...sometimes however, we end up in utter disappointment.

We had the top student in Edgefield pri (281) and Nan Chiau Primary (278), 2nd in Hougang Pri (274..You made me and Mrs Ho really proud Lilin!) and a few others. We have many top students every year. I thank God for helping all these students do well, you may not be a top student but as long as you are happy with your results, as long as you made improvement...Congratulations...You have all done your parents proud...You have all done your school teachers proud and you guys have made me proud...For your hard hard work and doing well when under my charge. ")

Its easy to get swallowed up by just talking about our top students all the time. When we look at the war, it always easy to look at the victors and be so immersed in them that we forget the casualties. In this case, students who worked very hard throughout but somehow never achieved satisfactory or good grades.

I have advice for you and I hope you will take what I say very seriously.

Doing badly in an examination is not, and should never be, the END OF THE WORLD. Yes you may not have done so well this time, but there are many opportunities for you to excel academically as long as you do not give up and are willing to try again. Let me share this little story with you...

I studied very hard for my Prelims before the O levels. In fact, I told myself that I was going to do everything I could to enter Temasek Junior College so that I could be studying in one of the TOP 5 JUNIOR COLLEGES in Singapore. I got 9 points for my prelims and got into TJC for the 1st 3 months before they released the O level results.

My life in JC was really really fun. I made many new friends since very few people from SJI went to TJC. (or at least I thought I made many new 'friends'!) I had the time of my life in TJC hanging around with friends at Parkway after school and having non stop outings with my new classmates on weekends. I thought to myself, "Finally, I have found the perfect school". I even had a crush on this girl from PLGS then TJC whom I knew from Mavis at Kovan in the same A math class as me. Life was GREAT!

Then came the biggest blow. I deproved alot for the O levels. I could not remain in TJC for the remainder of my JC life...I could not remain in the same class in which I had made so many new friends. I felt so inferior cuz almost all my classmates could remain in TJC. I felt like a LOSER...A Loser that was somehow failing at almost everything. I had to go to CJC which was NOT a top 5 JC. It was so embrassing. I would also not have the chance to see the girl I had a crush on as well! I just thought life was just so unfair to me.

When I went to CJC. It was funny...It felt as if I was meant to be there all along. There were so many SJI guys there! (Well, of course there are a couple I couldn't stand the sight of but I had more friends there than enemies.) My brother was also the president of student council (kinda like head prefect or councillor) two years before so everyone kinda knew who I was the moment I entered CJC. ( It helped that my bro was tall, charming and good-looking as all the senior girls knew my name just cuz of him, believe me, he had a following there!) I felt totally at home and at ease the very 1st day I entered CJC.

Eventually, I made real friends there. Friends whom I could count of in times of need, friends who did not judge me based on my results but based on how I treat people and what kinda friend I was. Friends who are still meeting up with me at least once every 2 months even until now that I am a father of 2 kids. True friends who were there at my wedding to make sure it ran smoothly without me having to ask twice. Friends who shared my joy when my kids were born.
Friends who stick by you through thick and thin and who will influence you the correct way.

It somehow seemed as if my poor performance in the O-levels was part of a BIG PLAN (U can say God's plan if you are a Christian) to ensure that I eventually end up at CJC and have a JC wonderful life. The most ironic thing is that I still did well for my A levels to get into NTU Engineering and when I went into NTU, I saw the same very people I knew when I was in TJC studying the same course as me. You dun have to be in a top school to enter the university!

Secondary school is a very different ball game from primary school. Not everyone that does well in primary school does well in Secondary school and vice versa. I was a student that only started to pick up in sec school and then get better from there. I have also seen and personally helped so many NA students do well in sec sch math, some were even offered to hop to express. Nothing gives me more satisfaction than helping those who have not done well in pri school math do well and excel in sec sch math.

You CAN do it...As long as you DO NOT give up... ")

As Obama would have you say it...."YES! WE CAN!"

God Bless all of you.