A Singaporean mother living in the Netherlands says her 12-year-old daughter received the highest recommendation on her final assessments without any formal studying. The mother detailed her daughter’s experience with the Dutch education system in a recent social media post.
Dutch Education System Praised by Singaporean Expat
The woman shared her experience on Instagram, posting on the account @mandarintree.nl, which belongs to a Chinese language school in Haarlem. Her family previously gained attention in 2021 for celebrating Chinese New Year with 300 families over Zoom.
According to an on-screen caption accompanying a video of her children, the daughter “had no tuition, barely any homework, and played all day.” The mother said she was moved to tears upon learning of her daughter’s results, which secured her a place in her desired school. “My tears were not only tears of happiness and pride, it was also relief,” she wrote.
The mother stated she had “zero involvement” in her daughter’s studies, a situation she described as “uncomfortable and foreign” given her background as a Singaporean teacher. She believes focusing on values and allowing her children to experience the world and enjoy their childhood was more beneficial than direct academic involvement.
She acknowledged the dedication of students and parents in Singapore, but noted that exams in the Netherlands are not considered high-stakes. The Dutch system emphasizes independent thinking and curiosity over rote memorization, encouraging students to take ownership of their learning.
“What a privilege it is to raise my kids here in NL, be able to step back, see the bigger picture and change the way we learn/ teach,” she concluded in her post. The mother declined to comment further when contacted by Stomp.
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