Education: From streaming to mass customisation

April 2, 2001

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INTRODUCTION: This is part four of our series of maps on our education system. After referring to the full response to the MPs by Education Minister Teo Chee Hean in Parliament last month, I drew some maps, and together with other driving forces created this one. Although our system is far from perfect, you can see and measure the benefits of the current system. Compared to where we came from, it is a vast improvement. Considering where we are going, the objectives are correct, but the journey at the personal and family level is for many hard to bear. The system risk becoming very unpopular, and the politicians must moderate and carry the people with it. As we will show in our map, the reward for the next generation is well worth the effort. At the end of the long march, with success people will stop chafing at it. In any system, there will be winners and losers. Politicians will need to find ways to make everybody a winner even if rewards are very unequal. (Fig 1)We start with a reinforcing loop between Box 1 and Box 2. This loop began life as streaming students into various specialization. The concept of “mass customization” is a natural consequence of splitting streaming further with the emphasis of playing to a child’s strength whilst keeping in mind how he or she need to be equipped for a successful economic life. When the basic objectives of literacy, math and all that is foundational to a knowledge economy is largely met, customization can shift towards focusing on a child uniqueness. But it must all began with streaming.	How to Read Maps Maps Investment Maps Business Maps Experts Maps Other Maps Local Interest
(Fig 2) Streaming and then intermediate mass customization will lead to the creation of two broad groups, within each are many subgroups exist. There will be a small group of the elite (box 3), typified by the GEP or Gifted Education Program, and a larger group of the rest (box 4). Most parents and students try very hard to get into Box 3. But Box 4 will “always” (not true as you shall see later) be the majority. The trick is to up the performance of Box 3 and Box 4, so that years down the road, the Box 4 of the future is better than the Box 3 of yesterday. Now, if you look at what your child is getting at school, this is already happening.
(Fig 3) Meanwhile to achieve what we had just described previously, here is the unpleasant bit which makes many people unhappy - The pressure part (box 5). Lifting Box 3 and Box 4 requires effort and stretching. Pupils, parents and teachers compete furiously (box 5) to belong to Box 3. Nowhere is this more obvious that the inflation of distinctions. Since Box 3 is the prestigious minority, there is fierce competition - a reinforcing loop between Box 3 and Box 5. This is the process we described in the previous slide how over time a Box 4 becomes more like Box 3 even as Box 3 becomes a moving target going further up. Since this society still hold to very narrow definitions of success (box 6) , the driving force in Box 5 is tremendous. The effort that went into Box 5 also show up as their fear and unhappiness of falling into Box 4. The issue is highly emotional, and it appears that the government has not been very successful at selling their policy here. From the macro perspective, the benefits to the nation is obvious, but the stories of family slaving to get into Box 3 is distressing and frustrating.
(Fig 4) The future of the knowledge economy, with its richness and diversity creates room of many forms of success and achievement that people will recognized (box 2). Successful people of the old form who achieve their laurels early in life are not likely to retire. They could go on to propose and create new forms of success, broadening the meaning of success. This is another dimension of Box 2 But Box 2 is not going to happen overnight. Meanwhile this government will have its hands full trying to carry the people with them (box 1). We had shown in earlier maps on this subject, that the current system is probably the most effective, even if punishing way to stay ahead of the pack.
(Fig 5) No reinforcing loop can last forever. The one between Box 1 and Box 2 could slow down as the gap between the pupil needs and potential closes (box 1). If this is achieved, another “limit of growth” appears when the system has achieved a high degree of one-to-one customization (box 2). Perhaps such a goal is not achievable across all age groups. It is probably close to being achieved for graduates if they have developed a life long habit of learning. It may be forever impossible for those in lower primary. Nevertheless, over time, it is desirable to reach this for ever younger groups of pupils. Achieving Box 2 would cause Box 3 and Box 4 to be de-emphasized because such efforts render the mass market meaningless and also splinter the definition of the elite into diverse categories. Concomitantly, this group would also be much bigger. Box 5, the source of our present trouble would also become less intense and more focused. In the process we will fulfill the requirements of the future economy (box 2) better than most competitors.