This Letter was shared on Reddit. It was a letter from the Principal of the school in Singapore to Parents of the pupils.
I have retyped the contents of the later to make it easy to read. Also I had to remove the excessive use of punctuations in the actual letter and add paragraphs. The actual Letter is attached,and comments from Reddit community.
Kindly read the letter below and let us know if you agree with the Principal on his or her approach.
Dear Parents,
The exams of your children are to start soon. I know you are all really anxious for your child to do well. But please do remember, amongst the students who will be sitting for the exams,there is an artist who doesn't need to understand maths,there is an entrepreneur who doesn't care about history or English literature. There is a musician, whose chemistry marks won't Matter,there is an athlete whose physical fitness is more important than physics.
If your child does get top marks, that's great. But if he or she doesn't, please don't take away their self confidence and dignity from them. Tell them it's ok,it's just an exam.
They are cut out for much bigger things in life. Tell them no matter what they score,you love them and will not judge them.
Please do this,and when you do,watch your children conquer the world. One exam or a low mark won't take away their dreams and talents.
And please don't think that doctors and engineers are the only happy people in the world.
With warm regards.

Some comments from Reddit community.

More comments

I wish the parents of those students who committed suicide because they couldn't get admission on time or because of carry overs had read this letter and instilled in their children that failure in academics is not failure in life.

I hate when people belittle education cos of their own shortcomings and silly justifications, agreed not everyone will use their certificate to succeed in life, does that mean failure should be accepted? Everyone will not make it through their talents and skills no matter how much they tried, does that mean they should not have an alternative in case it doesnt work for them? People dont actually get it that most of the basic things we do and apply in life, is what we were thought in school, like random things we think is just normal for us to know, is actually difficult for those that didn't pass through school

Education is important, studying and passing excellently is very much important for one to navigate through life effectively. Most of the billionaires like Bill Gates, Mark Zukerberg etc were intelligent and brilliant in school, dropped out, made it, and went back to school just to have the certificate because they know it is important.

What is the ratio of talented people that made it, to others living their life with what they learned in school today? Always have a back up plan in case all else fails.

GeniusEE and Smugglesthecat are right, that Singaporean school/principal are trying to cover up their incompetence and failure to teach properly.

@jovialjune it may seem the principal is trying to belittle education according to you,but I don't think that's the intent.
Here on nairaland I have read about a teenager that committed suicide because she couldn't gain admission. I have read countless times of undergraduates who committed suicide because of failing their courses. I am sure their parents presented education to them as a do or die, without it you are doomed to fail in life.
I am sure this is what the principal is trying to correct.
I have a real life experience of a parent who beats his son if he didn't come first in class. Not surprisingly,the man is a poor man,he thinks he's poor because he wasn't educated,but he's poor because of his mindset,same mindset he's trying to project into his son.
Check it most parents who carry class position on their heads are poor and failure in life. Rich people don't care,they want their kids educated and don't even care about the courses they study.
@ lalasticlala, kindly help this message get to parents on nairaland and beyond.

Greatzeus:
@jovialjune it may seem the principal is trying to belittle education according to you,but I don't think that's the intent.
Here on nairaland I have read about a teenager that committed suicide because she couldn't gain admission. I have read countless times of undergraduates who committed suicide because of failing their courses. I am sure their parents presented education to them as a do or die, without it you are doomed to fail in life.
I am sure this is what the principal is trying to correct.

If the suicide you read about is in Nigeria, pls come back to earth, you cannot succeed here without some form of education, those that succeed was with dubious means, heck even some educated ones rubbed hands with some corrupt persons to be what they are today, talent and skills hardly pay in Nigeria without having money or knowing people in high places, some people sell their body to get to where they are today, why do you think yahoo and other vices are prevalent today?

Education is important in our part of the world, it gives one an edge no matter how little. The stories of suicide, if in Nigeria, was not because of pressure from anybody, it is cos they have an aim they are gunning for that keeps being delayed cos of jamb failure and whatnot, thereby making them depressed and seeing suicide as the best escape route cos they see themselves amount to nothing without the needed degree they aim to have.

Education is important. I can't imagine myself an illiterate. Anyone who has passed through school (especially a Nigerian public university) must have learned a lot of necessary traits to survive in the outside world. It's not just what is in the curriculum that matters, it's what you become as you chase excellence in school.

However, certain things are not taught in school though

Greatzeus:
I wish the parents of those students who committed suicide because they couldn't get admission on time or because of carry overs had read this letter and instilled in their children that failure in academics is not failure in life.

Students committed suicide?

MrJavaS:
Education is important. I can't imagine myself an illiterate. Anyone who has passed through school (especially a Nigerian public university) must have learned a lot of necessary traits to survive in the outside world. It's not just what is in the curriculum that matters, it's what you become as you chase excellence in school.

However, certain things are not taught in school though

Indeed, excellent grades aren't really necessary to be considered educated. We all forget that people like Bill gates, Oprah etc., would have been considered uneducated by some of the standards we now wield.

MrJavaS:
Education is important. I can't imagine myself an illiterate. Anyone who has passed through school (especially a Nigerian public university) must have learned a lot of necessary traits to survive in the outside world. It's not just what is in the curriculum that matters, it's what you become as you chase excellence in school.

However, certain things are not taught in school though

@ jovialjune Was there any statement in the letter that suggested education is not important? The principal an educator, someone making a living from people getting educated, yet you think she's in anyway undermining getting educated?
She was clearly talking about victimising students ( especially in early school years),because of their grades or exam marks.

Greatzeus:

@ jovialjune Was there any statement in the letter that suggested education is not important? The principal an educator, someone making a living from people getting educated, yet you think she's in anyway undermining getting educated?
She was clearly talking about victimising students ( especially in early school years),because of their grades or exam marks.

Cautioning kids to do better is not victimisation, creating an atmosphere for learning at home, limiting their playtime, guiding them in the proper way to study hard is a good way of helping them,

That principal categorically said that parents shouldn't caution or scold their kids if they bring home failure report card, and that parents should have it in mind that it is okay to fail since education isn't a stepping stone for success, citing talents, skills, and other vocations, that in itself is a clear cut way of undermining education.

This matter mess inside my mouth come pour salt inside.

Make I listen to other sages as they battle it out.

Ehen, pansophist, sometimes sometimes, e use to seem pe as if you have droppings of ororo or oyel in your head. It is droppings I said o! I did not say a gallon or a barrel. So what do you have to say to this matter at leg?

Let the child mistakenly fail and come back first..

Na that principal go continue the training and feeding..

Mtchewww

Magnoliaa:
This matter mess inside my mouth come pour salt inside.

Make I listen to other sages as they battle it out.

Ehen, pansophist, sometimes sometimes, e use to seem pe as if you have droppings of ororo or oyel in your head. It is droppings I said o! I did not say a gallon or a barrel. So what do you have to say to this matter at leg?

Its true na. Honestly with the way school be now sef, I don't think I'll let my kids smell the four walls of university. High school should be enough. Unless they want to study hardcore subject like medicine, law, and those that requires certification to operate.

Having said that, the principal is right. Everyone have different talent. I hated school myself, I felt like I have to wear a mask to perform, and all my abilities discarded if it does not fit with what the school wants me to deliver. School can be limiting.

And the danger school does to people, especially uni, that most people don't realise is that it waste your time. My only regret right now is not having the courage to fork the world and drop out of school. Because my degree sef useless, I'm not using it. I started a business and that is what has been sustaining and giving me joy. If I had started earlier and not wasted years chasing degree, I'll have gone far far more.

In the informational age that we are living, you only need skills, not degree. Instagram alone has blessed lots of teenagers making millions, meanwhile same will probably be stuck with a minimum wage job if they chase degree instead. And in Nigeria? Oh my God. I hear courses that makes me just scream, "are you mad"? What the fork is mass comm, philosophy, zoology, accounting, public administration and co? And some these students are under the delusion that somehow a top notch job is waiting.

A single book, some YouTube videos will teach me everything I need to know about those courses. Why waste years, and money preparing for the past? Technology has eliminated all these jobs. I didn't study philosophy, but talking to lots of philosophical students is like Jesus preaching to Satan. Many memorize, but don't know. I bought books written by people like Marcus Aurelius and Nietszche, and somehow, philosophical students seems like amateur. Same can be said to other disciplines.

pansophist:


Its true na. Honestly with the way school be now sef, I don't think I'll let my kids smell the four walls of university. High school should be enough. Unless they want to study hardcore subject like medicine, law, and those that requires certification to operate.

...
...

Many memorize, but don't know. I bought books written by people like Marcus Aurelius and Nietszche, and somehow, philosophical students seems like amateur. Same can be said to other disciplines.

Hmmmmmmm.

Greatzeus:

@ jovialjune Was there any statement in the letter that suggested education is not important? The principal an educator, someone making a living from people getting educated, yet you think she's in anyway undermining getting educated?
She was clearly talking about victimising students ( especially in early school years),because of their grades or exam marks.

He is right. At least I've done subjects / courses I know I wouldn't need and that applies to anyone not just me.

Not everyone can succeed in academics, there are other facets where your child can Excel outside academics. Being academically crippled does not equate to being a failure.

Are people deliberatly misconstruing the principal's words?

The principal is simply saying, 'every child has a different path.' A child may be bad academically or in different subjects but have strengths in other areas. Instead of being harsh on a child for failing, try to understand them and don't judge them.
There are persons with learning disabilities but are very skillful. However, if your fears are that they might fail or not do well in life, remember not every one with a degree has it going for them.

It's very crazy to beat your children for failing which is a very common Nigerian act. Maybe instead of pulling down walls, talk to them? See what they are good at?

Singapore's education system is highly meritocratic, so I don't expect someone who is a principal via that system to write in such an atrocious manner. Also, I'm yet to read same letter posted by actual Singaporeans (I read the StraitsTimes, ChannelNewsAsia and Mothership Singapore quite often). The letter reminds me of Nigerians who write something in their favour and attach a prominent person's name for it to go viral.

Dreebieee:
Are people deliberatly misconstruing the principal's words?

The principal is simply saying, 'every child has a different path.' A child may be bad academically or in different subjects but have strengths in other areas. Instead of being harsh on a child for failing, try to understand them and don't judge them.
There are persons with learning disabilities but are very skillful. However, if your fears are that they might fail or not do well in life, remember not every one with a degree has it going for them.

It's very crazy to beat your children for failing which is a very common Nigerian act. Maybe instead of pulling down walls, talk to them? See what they are good at?

You read the letter and understood the message inherent in it. This shows you didn't just pass through school, school passed through you , unlike some people

Here to read comments.

Kobojunkie:
Indeed, excellent grades aren't really necessary to be considered educated. We all forget that people like Bill gates, Oprah etc., would have been considered uneducated by some of the standards we now wield.

They still went back to school to get a degree, that's the point.

JovialJune:
They still went back to school to get a degree, that's the point.

Long after, not before, they had beat the world as far as success is concerned. So their heading back to school really meant nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Kobojunkie:
Long after their success, not before they had beat the world as far as success is concerned. So their heading back to school really meant nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Going back to school isn't nothing, if not they wouldn't have bothered themselves, they know it is very important to have a degree, and they got it and used their degree knowledge to achieve more of their successes today.

JovialJune:

Going back to school isn't nothing, if not they wouldn't have bothered themselves, they know it is very important to have a degree, and they got it.

There are many more successful individuals who didn't go back to school after establishing themselves in the world. Are they lesser beings than less successful for that?

By the way, Bill Gates does not have a college degree.

Here's a list of others https://www.google.com/amp/s/money.com/15-super-successful-people-who-never-graduated-college/%3famp=true