World Affairs: July Summary

Written by: Justa Wee Jia Qi (24-E4), Del Rosario Julianna Kathlyn Katigbak (24-E6), Tan Kai Rui (24-I1), Hung Jia Xuan (24-I6), Ye Yongle Marco (24-O1), Chong Jia Jun, Skyler (24-U2), Joshua Lui Cheng Ze (24-U4), Yee Yi Xin Kristen (24-U6)

Designed by: Justa Wee Jia Qi (24-E4), Del Rosario Julianna Kathlyn Katigbak (24-E6), Tan Kai Rui (24-I1), Hung Jia Xuan (24-I6)

The National School Games (NSG), which aim to provide a valuable platform for students to cultivate values and develop character through sports, are an integral part of our schooling lives. Thousands of student athletes train for this annual event in the hopes of winning glory for their schools and themselves. Even for the general student population, travelling to the various venues to cheer their peers on becomes a core memory in their schooling lives.

The NSG plays a crucial role in the holistic development of student athletes. These games provide a platform for student athletes to engage in competitive sports, fostering physical fitness and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Beyond physical benefits, the NSG cultivates important life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and resilience. Student athletes learn to manage time effectively, balancing their academic responsibilities with sports commitments. The games also offer opportunities for students to represent their schools, instilling a sense of pride and belonging. Moreover, participating in NSG exposes students to diverse experiences, helping them develop social skills and cultural understanding as they interact with peers from different backgrounds. This comprehensive approach to education through sports contributes significantly to the well-rounded development of Singapore's youth.

Beyond that, the benefits of the NSG extend beyond the individual. The NSG brings countless people together – students, teachers, parents etc who come together to cheer for the school team. The cheers of support ringing across the field creates an electrifying atmosphere, imprinting on the minds of every participant and fostering a sense of community and pride for one’s school. This school spirit is vital for building a strong and supportive school community and contributes to a vibrant school culture. Students become a part of a large school community that shares common goals and values. They feel a sense of pride for their sports teams. It is the building of a community, one that is supportive of each other’s achievements encouraging all students to pursue more, not just in sports but in all aspects of their lives.

Despite its merits, the lesser known drawbacks of NSG cannot be ignored. One major concern for student-athletes is the unhealthy pressure from competition one faces in the lead up to NSG. Many athletes feel immense pressure to outperform their peers and be at their 110% each training. The perfectionist need to be at the top of one’s game, ultimately to make it into the school team and have a shot at championships, can lead to a multitude of problems, ranging from mental health issues to physical injuries. While this is a side effect to most competitions that athletes will experience in life, the extended pressure to compete to be able to build a “perfect” portfolio is what makes NSG to be particularly stressful. Clinching gold medals and winning at national competitions are what most schools are looking for in the Direct School Admission (DSA) students, or even in university applications. Students competing in the NSG may feel their entire future weighing down on them with the prospect of their further education looming over. While not all students in the C and B Division of NSG may not be interested in DSA, in the case of students in the A-Division, the idea of building a holistic portfolio for their university applications is especially pivotal for them, with competition to get into top universities on the rise. As such, NSG mixes the regular performance anxiety of an athlete with the stress of academics and future educational pathways, formulating in a competition that is likely to be overwhelmingly and toxically competitive. 

Besides that, one other problem participants in NSG face is the immense academic pressure that comes with it. Achieving success in NSG as a student athlete is no doubt a moment of glory, but as the name suggests, “student” comes first. However, more often than not that part gets compromised due to NSG. The NSG season often clashes with curriculum time and causes students to lose valuable lesson time. With training sessions stretching for hours multiple times per week, students often sacrifice revision time in order to train themselves to be in prime condition, resulting in them being less prepared for their exams. This results in the academic pressure from failing to both cope with school work and maintain their grades. In desperation to keep up, student athletes may work themselves to the bone or give up altogether. If not well addressed, this commitment to NSG has the power to turn their life upside down with the overwhelming amount of commitments they have. 

Regardless of the NSG’s drawbacks, it is up to student athletes to manage the challenges that come with the NSG and seek help when needed. It is imperative that students are clear of their priorities and focus their efforts on the things that are most important to them. As for the general school population, we can look out for our peers and offer help when needed. However one thing is for sure, the NSG is not the source of unhealthy competition and excessive stress but rather a medium for which it manifests in our society. It would be naive to remove the NSG in an attempt to shelter students from these issues. Instead, the focus should be on teaching them the skills to handle these pressures in a more healthy way. That would be a lesson that is more valuable than any trophy.