IN AN increasingly competitive system, differentiation is key.

I empathise with the budgetary constraints that schools face in attempting to manage the breadth and depth of their investments in co-curricular activities (CCAs).

Therefore, it is not unreasonable for the administration to invest finite resources in activities that generate the best returns in the most quantifiable form possible - awards.

This is yet another avenue for schools to distinguish themselves from others within a rapidly diversifying system.

In the past five years, we have scrapped the O-levels for top students, introduced International Baccalaureate exams, and created highly specialised schools such as the NUS High School and the Sports School.

Given the climate, having myriad well-defined and well-performing cogs in our education system creates choices that benefit us all in the long run.

Andre Oei, 21, is a final-year government and economics student at the London School of Economics

End result seems more important

THE notion that schools are run like corporations stands true.

Explanations on policy changes, as well as the university fee hikes indicate a strong focus on the end result rather than the means.

Recently, students from a theatre CCA in Singapore Management University were granted a two-day slot at the school's annual arts festival.

However, a week before the performance, they were told to cut their performance from three shows to just one by the school. The reason: Their preview performance was not up to standard.

Regardless of the arguments proffered, I believe the role of CCAs is to develop students' interests.

It is imperative that schools understand the nurturing aspect. Even results have to be realistic as students are not professionals.

Ephraim Loy, 25, is a second-year social science student at the Singapore Management University

A harsh lesson from real world

DEPENDING how you view it, I was privileged (or unfortunate) to have experienced first-hand how schools were run like ruthless businesses.

As part of a performing arts group, the benchmark of CCA success was to achieve a Gold award in the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Central Judging Panel Assessment.

CCA groups which failed to do so received less funding and priority in the use of school facilities for practices.

As such, awards were targeted more as a bargaining chip for more resources, rather than for aesthetic excellence.

An unfortunate consequence was that many students were deprived of opportunities to participate in CCAs of their choice if they weren't proficient enough for competition.

There were simply no resources for recreational participation.

While the learning experience may not be pleasant, students get a taste of the harsh reality of the real world.

The credo of the Education Service is to prepare students 'to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world'.

Only, I'm not sure if that is the way to do it.

Chew Zhi Wen, 21, has a place to read law and economics at the National University of Singapore (NUS)

A reciprocal awareness

THE fundamentals of schooling lie in imparting knowledge to society, and thus, schools are inevitably accountable to the public.

This accountability has to take into account sheer pragmatism - what works best for the greater good, both long, and short, term.

In considering the many (or lack of) options, I believe that educators will always seek to preserve their primary objective: to further the qualities of their students.

However, it is a path fraught with difficulty. Expenditure has to be accounted for and justified.

It is easy to question the unpopular practices of schools. But it is necessary to consider the perspectives of the people making, with full awareness, unpopular decisions.

I do not believe the situation to be as unsavoury as we make it out to be. What is needed is a dose of reciprocal awareness.

We need to understand them, before expecting them to understand us.

Alson Yong, 20, has a place to study social sciences at NUS

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Mar 17, 2008.