Some years ago, I had a tuition student who came from a prestigious mission school and another tuition student from a neighbourhood school. They did not know each other.
One day before the O-level exam paper, I offered to give them a free consultation at the McDonald’s outlet at Gek Poh Shopping Centre. The two students’ paths crossed.
They must have conversed while I went to the toilet because after the consultation was over, the student from the neighbourhood school told me that life is not fair. He said that the student from the prestigious school had a DSA route to Junior College via a rugby and he only needed to score a certain result to get in. “I have nothing.” The student from the neighbourhood school said sadly.
I cannot remember what I said exactly, but it must have been something like this: “There is no point comparing. Try your best and use your knowledge to help others and be a good person.”
This might sound like a platitude, but I really believe this. If education is seen as a means to help society and benefit others, education will be so much more joyful!