Results? Worthy?

Since there is a raging argument on yanyu's blog tagboard, as well as the local papers, regarding the animadversion of the difficulty and results of school tests, i'll do a short post here to give my comments. although both debates examine different areas of the topic, they are both sparked off by the same source, students not getting the ideal grades for their tests/ examinations. If someone does not get an ideal score for their test and examinations, especially those exceedingly driven onces, what are the consequences? A lost of morale, a devaluing of one's self? Perhaps the kids mentioned in the articles in the papers are too young to take the results in the proper context. For scores alone carry no value. When compared against the immediate competition, under the same scenarios, only then will your results be an accurate reflection of your status, in academics or whatever discipline you pursue. For a school test, it is proper to compare it among your school mates, for an external exam such as the PSLE, 'O' levels and the 'A' levels, the comparison is brought to a national level. These 2 cases are independent of one another. So yanyu, you can relax, for i do not think that half the cohort is going to fail mathematics for the A levels, like they did for block test ( including me ). This very fact is recognised by the cambridge examiners as well as the ministry of education, as the benchmarks for the various grades are not set at an absolute score. Hence, as long as you take the nature of your results, and interpret it corresponding to your enviornment, you will find that your results are significantly over average. Ergo, do not fret, work hard, and give yourself credit when it is due.