The Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results are released on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017.

Once again, this event is met with the usual release of a lot of pent-up emotions from parents and children.

Primary 6 students savour for the first time in their lives what it is like to cross one significant educational hurdle and for parents, this just signals there is another lap ahead.

De-emphasising PSLE scores

Singapore, to her credit, has taken a few small steps in recent years to play down PSLE achievements.

Since 2013, the Ministry of Education has stopped announcing PSLE’s top scorers and their T-scores in a bid to de-emphasise a results-oriented approach to formal education.

But mindsets take a longer time to alter as our grades-obsessed society is still playing catch-up and have been aggregating PSLE top scores for themselves.

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Adults encouragement

In the past few years though, adults in Singapore have been chiming in during this period when PSLE results are release to share words of encouragement on social media.

The message is that PSLE scores are not going to impact one's future as much as children think it might, even though this is the most important thing in the world at this point in their lives -- for now:

And no future employer will ask you for your PSLE score:

In 2016, an associate professor in a local university wrote that he had a PSLE score of 221.

His initiative brought out other responses from adults who did okay for their PSLE but turned out alright.

Here are the other responses from last year:

I just manage to pass my PSLE. Im now a Toolroom HOD in a Japanese Engineering Company. I hold a diploma, an Advance Diploma and Masters Certification in OJT. Alhamdulillah

I scored 219 and had to extend a year in poly. Im 26 now and I assist in developing training programmes in LKY Sch for public officials around the world! Currently pursuing my Bachelor's Degree, majoring in Sociology and a minor in Communications.

I nvr take any PSLE, now housewife who is teaching children how to live their life as reliable human. ???

PSLE 237. Was a Radio DJ and TV news presenter for 10 years. Now a Property Agent full time. ?

232, was a school teacher. Now a home tutor and a health coach and loving it!?

My score was 229. Went to neighbourhood schools all my life. Managed to get an honours degree and earn an honest living as an educator for 16 years. ✌?️

PSLE is not everything... although society made it as such sometimes.

234. Phd candidate at a reputable university in London, have taught/shared knowledge students from different corners of the world including a uni and a graduate sch in Paris. #greatinitiativeProf

211. Failed math in Sec 1-3. Was even last in class in Sec 2. Did my O Levels. Scored A2 in English and Math. Scored B3 for all other subjects. Went to Poly. Graduated with a Diploma. Dropped out of Adelaide. Failed in first business. Navigated the corporate world. Rejected from jobs. Sacked from jobs. Ran another business. Failed again. Joined a startup. Joined another one. Got married. Started another startup. Sold that startup to another startup. Now Director of Technology and Co-Founder of iCommerce Asia.

Kids. Every success starts with a failure. And you will continue to face failures in your life. Success is defined by how much you pick yourself up, dust your shoulders, and keep moving forward.

My PSLE score 213.

Quit NTU because i got bored. Captain of Team Singapura Everest 2015. Summited Cho Oyu the 6th highest mountain in the world. Ran out of oxygen yet i continued to climbed. Suffered a stroke. Survived the stroke. Software engineer. Ethical hacker. Rockclimber, ice climber, mountaineer, ultra marathoner. Happily married with a neurobiologist who is finishing her PhD at NUS

PSLE score is just a number. It doesnt define who u are.

229 - 2 degrees, lawyer.

227. Dropped out of JC in Year 1 and went on to Ngee Ann Polytechnic to undertake a diploma. Right now an undergraduate studying Law in a local university. Just because you failed once doesn't give you a reason not to do your best all the time. Always prove your critics wrong.

PSLE score 177 > N levels > O levels > Diploma in Mechanical Eng. at Ngee Ann poly with diploma plus certificate in applied technology and specialisation in Biomedical applications > NTU Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering specialisation in Innovative Design > working as Mechanical Design Engineer in Oil and Gas Industry.

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