Schools should place more emphasis on character development than academic excellence

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Schools should place more emphasis on character development than academic excellence


Definitely, school should place more emphasis on character development than academic excellence. There are many examples that went world wide, regarding students with excellent academic results, but unfortunately, with extremely poor character and moral ethics. Furthermore Hwa Chong Institution values also concentrate more on Character than excellence in results.

Firstly, look at the news all around the world. Recently, a Hwa Chong Institution scholar whom is on a scholarship in Australia was doing all well in his exams, having straight "A"s. However, a moment of folly is a lifetime of regret. He was unable to control his sexual lust due to having a poor character and no moral ethics. Furthermore, he downloaded child porn, using the Campus wireless network, thus being caught. He is then stripped off his scholarship. This shows the importance of character as compared to academics.

Next, Hwa Chong Institution's new core values, PIER, emphasises on character development. Character comes first before academics. If one's character is good, being responsible, passionate, etc, he will definitely be able to be self disciplined to study, to excel. Furthermore, Hwa Chong emphasises on leadership, Servant Leadership, Entrepreneurial Leadership and Task Oriented Leadership. Only with good character, can one have elements of all three leadership abilities, with Kantian-ism, Utilitarianism etc.

However, definitely academics is important in today's society. The economy is extremely competitive, and in order to get a good job, one must have good qualifications and good degrees. Thus, school must also emphasize on ensuring the fundamentals of the students in each and every subject. Furthermore, parents usually extremely emphasize on getting good academics results. Hence, mindsets of students are already set, and thus is hard to change their mindsets to "Character>Academics Results".

In conclusion, character is definitely more important than academics results, however, the mindsets of today's society and also the instilled mindsets of the children now makes this a difficult task, to change them. However, schools and education ministries must never stop this trying this task.

That is all!

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,
Mervin