Every School a Good School

by Ng Ziqin

Finalist for the 2022 Epigram Books Fiction Prize

When the eccentric new education minister unveils a radical local exchange programme called INSTEP, two Secondary 3 girls find themselves uprooted from their lives and transplanted into unfamiliar new surroundings. Rowena, a mediocre student at one of Singapore’s top girls’ schools, and Janice, the overachieving pride of a “heartland institution”, must each find a way to survive one term at the other’s school.

But just when they think they have it all figured out, a rash of misfortune threatens to shut INSTEP down. How will the girls fare? Will INSTEP survive past its pilot phase? Can the girls save the day?

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Asian Literature, Contemporary

272 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2022

About the author

Ng Ziqin is an undergraduate law student at the National University of Singapore. Her writing has been featured in RICE and Asia Law Network. In 2020, she placed third in a youth op-ed competition with her piece, “We Need to Stop Promoting Science as the Default JC Stream.” Her biggest literary heroes are Terry Pratchett and Adrian Tan, and she has a growing taste for mystery novels and psychological thrillers. One day, Ziqin hopes to achieve her lifelong dream of retiring in a cave house, where she will write whodunits that take place in Yishun. Every School a Good School is her first novel.

Reviews

[nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

a bit expositional and didactic but i appreciated the insights and sentiments
i will say the plot was very fun (if heavily inspired by real life events) and also it was quite funny (very camp) especially playing spot the parallel lmao (honrourable mention to me calling the mention of the quintessential RGS girl crush)

edit: also rowena is sooo rgs girl coded (derogatory)

[aqilahreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is about two sec 3 girls - rowena from a top school & janice from a neighbourhood school who spend a term at each other's school through a local exchange programme called INSTEP & finding themselves into unfamiliar new surroundings...would they be able to survive? 🏫⁣⁣⁣
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rounding this up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. i feel attacked reading this book 🤣 if i were to be honest, my academic stress was truly at its peak during my secondary school years omg there was just so much pressure that i had to go through so im just glad that i can somehow relate to these girls???? 🥹 the story was quite exaggerating & dramatic but surprisingly i enjoyed it as a whole. i love the main characters, they are on point 💯⁣⁣ as a neighbourhood school student, i thought it was refreshing to read from a top school student POV too. ⁣
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i am one of those students that had to travel to one of the top schools for higher MT lessons every week. 🚎 besides the pressure & getting all them judgy stares 👀, i remembered having the opportunity to attend to a lot of writing workshops from well-known malay authors, receiving lots of free novels to read, getting my writings featured in their short stories collection and even visited pulau ubin ((!!!!!)) for the first time...not that i wasnt able to gain new experiences from my own school as well but in those moments, i definitely felt that distinct difference in the number of opportunities given. ⁣⁣⁣i like how inequality of opportunities was also raised in the book.
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but!!!! every school is a 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 school & good in their own ways. i believe that i still wouldnt be at where i am now if it wasnt for the opportunities/experiences in my own school too - there are just so many things i am still grateful for!!!! especially my wonderful & supportive teachers that were always there for me. 😫 ⁣⁣⁣
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so is it true that every school is a good school? or in another way that i would like to see it......are there really bad schools in singapore? 🤨🤔💭 ⁣⁣⁣
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// thank you so much @epigrambookshop for a review copy in exchange of an honest review ☺️ ALSO THANK U FOR MAKING ME REMINISCE THE GOOD OL' STRESSFUL DAYS ((in a good way)) 🤪⁣
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[Sruthi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was interested in reading this book mainly becos i knew my school was featured, and Ziqin did not disappoint. Reading the descriptions of SGS - the student groups, school cheers, spirit week, even meals at the koi pond - brought back so many fond memories

But at times the book can be quite preachy, with whole paragraphs dedicated to lessons learnt...which felt abit unnatural and forced, and its obvious that the author is trying hard to promote the view that “every school is a good school”. Yet I think she redeemed herself with the ending by being more hopeful that in the future every school could be a good school, which I think was an apt conclusion.

Also, I wish Ziqin had explored Victor's character more - she mentions he chose to attend JSSS in spite of his high PSLE T-Score, because its near his house, but I wish Rowena had had a longer conversation with him about that decision, maybe towards the end of the book. Though I guess its implied that he made this choice because he lives with and takes care of his grandma - if she's electing to be subtle here...I wish she had been more subtle and nuanced at other instances when she was quite lengthy with her "moral of the story".

While the INSTEP programme did teach the girls valuable lessons, and would be a good programme to provide more diverse opportunities to all students, that it would help dispel systemic stereotypes so quickly and effectively seems a bit far fetched...

All in all, it’s definitely an idealistic book with somewhat cliche stories, yet I loved it because of the nostalgia it provided for me. I even enjoyed how she weaved incidents from that time - like the flushing money into the toilet incident - into the story; it really made the story feel more authentic. I hope it does inspire MOE to implement a programme similar to INSTEP in the future, especially since in universities, exchange programmes are commonplace, so why not try it in school?

[yolia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"sometimes, it felt like in singapore following your passion and studying what you loved was a privilege and not a right."

meritocracy in theory will always seem like the best model for an education system, until it becomes an avenue to reveal the social stratification that naturally occurs following the PSLE or any big national exam for that matter. this book would resonate in every singaporean student, that has been gruelled to achieve good grades to 'get into a good school' by our parents and teachers. this book leads us to question, what exactly does a 'good school' entail?

while this book did make use of stereotypes pertaining to your usual well-funded elite schools and neighbourhood schools with paikias, i felt like the intimate view into the daily lives of students in stamford girls school (SGS) and jurong spring secondary school really revealed the differences in the quality of education received. it almost feels like the respective schools are preparing for the students for a specified path, where girls from SGS would move onto stamford institution and majority of the students from JSSS proceeding to polytechnics or ITE. but why does it take a school's name to differentiate and determine from the start where the students proceed, creating a fixed pathway towards a 'good' future.

even today, with the removal of streams and the new implementation of subject based banding, elitism arguably still persists within the education system. anyways, if INSTEP ever makes its way into our political system (but let's be realistic, probably never), it would likely be something very refreshing to see, allowing for students to receive what their school lacked, and exposing them to different environments. however, INSTEP's success in bringing greater equality was why i thought the ending was slightly utopian.

nonetheless, they should introduce this book to schools nationwide ngl, such an important read for everyone that has gone through or currently going through our education system.

31/08/2023
a utopian ending but i really did appreciate the social commentary in this book. rtc!

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone interested in learning more about education systems and ways in which to address the issues surrounding them, I thoroughly enjoyed this. I also love reading books with familiar settings. It made me reflect a lot on my own experiences and eagerly discuss the social commentary with other friends.

[Hwee Goh · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Where did all these attitudes about high and low come from?”

An NUS Law undergraduate pulls the rug from under the notion of “every school a good school”, and tackles elitism, social stratification and the myth of excellence many of us subscribe to about our schools.

If I may — this is the Teenage Textbook of these times. Befittingly, author Ng Ziqin calls (Terry Pratchett and) Adrian Tan her literary hero and in turn, Tan has blurbed this book and dubbed it a “must-read”.

Because Ziqin is not cynical or acidic in her observations. She simply speculates upon an exchange programme between two girls from an elite and a neighborhood school.

Rowena and Janice both face a catharsis of their own, but also come together in a sequence of events which was so satisfying to follow.

“…life was not an old-school video game with a linear progression and clearly defined levels that you had to pass through, one by one, to reach the finish line.

“Life was a choose-your-own-adventure game, where choosing to explore a different educational pathway or taking the scenic route didn't make you a loser compared to someone else on the ‘fast track’.”

Ziqin’s writing is excellent, on point, and something I wished our politicians would read. It’s not an exercise to get defensive on, but a refreshing yet optimistic look at matters on hand, including her view on party politics.

📚: @epigrambooks

[s]

reading this was incredibly painful

[Maya G · Rating 4 out of 5]

The idea of elitism is definitely a problem in Singapore. Rowena, who attends an elite school, and Janice, who attends a neighborhood school, swap places for a term.

The book was really interesting - I flew through it in one sitting. The characters and their struggles were written well, and the book was overall super nice to read. As someone who lives in Singapore, it's also nice to read books about, well, my country. The plot and how the characters came together was really nice.

The only minor problem for me was that it was kind of predictable, and the ending was too "perfect" or happy. Overall, this book was a solid 4.5/5, I just rounded down due to the book missing something I can't quite put a finger on.

[Wanderingggg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVE this book. I recently completed my secondary school education so this book felt so personal, it just spoke VOLUMES to me. I love the message of the book and how raw and authentic it was. I understand that the writing may come across as cringey for certain parts and I felt that the ending was a little too good to be true or unrealistic but personally it didn’t throw me off entirely, because the message and the overall portrayals of the characters were really what had me amazed. Would highly recommend.

[Tan Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this book is flightly and idealistic in terms of plot the way that YA fiction tends to be, it does give some perceptive food for thought about the Singapore education, while parading a host of highly likable characters. 3 ½ stars rating rounded up in support of SingLit.

[Kelly Teo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, transporting us back to school days. The author brilliantly touched and wrote about the sensitive issues revolving around social stratification, meritocracy. Educators of Singapore,
how poverty meant that some of them grew up without the class protections of personal space, leisure time and family memories…


Ambition, what is ambition? Where does it says going to JC or University can be considered as an ambition? Everyone has their own goal to work towards. And even if our goals are different, that doesn’t mean that we don’t have to work hard for them, or that we don’t struggle to reach them too.

Is every school a good school? I would like to say every school is a different school and there’s no one size fits all. There are different challenges and no one is fit to discredit anyone.

This is a must read for all Singaporeans

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Every School a Good School, Law Li-Ann, a newly-elected Opposition MP, is invited by the Prime Minister to serve as the Minister for Education. A sociologist by training whose research focus has been on poverty and inequality, Li-Ann has strong views on the role education can play in tackling social stratification and elitism. One of her radical ideas is to pilot an exchange programme between secondary school 3 students of neighbourhood and elite schools, to create opportunities for students from these schools to "interact on equal terms and understand each other better". And to put her money where her mouth is, Li-Ann volunteers her daughter Rowena, a student at the elite Stamford Girls' School, for the pilot which she calls INSTEP.

Given the relatively small literary scene in Singapore, there are very few books that genuinely speak to the Singaporean experience. Every School a Good School is one of them. For what else is so central to the Singaporean experience than our 12 years of general education and in particular, our secondary school years when students are streamed into different pathways?

Ng does a good job flipping our assumptions and prejudices about elite and neighbourhood schools. Elite schools offer students many more options and flexibility in terms of academic subjects and co-curricular activities. It is in SGS that Janice gets to learn Biology; JSS did not offer Bio because Triple Science was no longer a subject combination available at JC "[b]ut this calculated analysis overlooked that some students might want to do Biology simply because it was fun…sometimes, it felt like in Singapore, following your passion and studying what you loved was a privilege and not a right".

Yet, notwithstanding the options and the flexibility, there is the sense that for students in elite schools there is only one right path - that on top of getting good grades, one must check the relevant boxes on leadership roles in co-curricular activities, excelling in competitions and volunteering with the community. Janice realises that it "was the ultimate irony that the students with the best grades tended to find themselves with the fewest choices. Even though their stellar scores would most likely allow them to pursue any career they wanted, most SGS students gravitated towards the same few pedigreed choices of undergraduate degree and career…if your grades were good enough to grant you access to exclusive pastures that others could not enter, why bother grazing on the same common fields as everybody else? What if a passerby saw you and assumed the only reason you were there was because you couldn't get to the elite pastures?" And this also leaves students with less time for things that are important but don't help you get into a top university - things like spending time with family, hanging out with and helping a friend, sleep.

And while the elite schools may offer a plethora of options for students to explore their passions and interests, passion alone may not be enough, as Janice learns when she has to audition to join the Film Cluster group.

Meanwhile, both Janice and Rowena learn that perhaps hierarchies, prejudices and snobbishness don't just exist between elite schools and neighbourhood schools. They exist within schools as well. Within Jurong Spring Secondary School exists a rigid separation between Express, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) and it is the Express students who are regarded as "snobbish and elitist" . And within Stamford Girls' School, while most students are part of the same Integrated Programme track, there is a "token O level class" for those who had failed to keep up with the IP curriculum and it is these students who are regarded as "less than"; Janice reflects that while students in the O level class are seen as "social pariahs" in SGS, in almost any other secondary school in Singapore they would have been part of the norm.

Rowena learns that students in the Normal (Academic) stream, who struggle with certain subjects, have a depth of knowledge in the subjects they are passionate about. That some of those who do excel academically exercise the choice not to go to an elite school, for various reasons of their own. That for others, going to university is not an absolute given, unlike for those in her own social circle. And Janice reflects on whether the eliteness of elite schools is a form of intersubjective reality - a myth that has become reality because so many people believe in that myth and have invested in it - rather than either subjective or objective reality.

Where Every School a Good School shows the shortcomings of the education system and policies, that criticism is nuanced and balanced. Ng has clearly done her homework and weaves in the policy considerations and trade-offs into the narrative. Ng often paints the policy position before offering the big "but". For instance:

"[Li-Ann] knew what Quek and Chiang would say. The so-called "elite" schools were already reaching out to promising Primary Six students in neighbourhood primary schools every year to stimulate diversity. The Direct School Admissions (DSA) scheme - which allowed students with exceptional talents in non-academic domains like sports, aesthetics or leadership to be admitted to elite schools, even if they might not have been able to qualify based on grades - increased academic diversity in those top schools. The schools and the media had been directed to de-emphasise the number of Public Service Commission (PSC) scholars and Oxbridge or Ivy League students the top schools produced each year, and to instead focus on the stories of students who had overcome adversity to reach their present position. But how effective had all these efforts actually been? To Li-Ann, they seemed targeted at changing the public perception that these elite schools were elitist, rather than actually addressing the root of the problem."

Or this criticism of elite schools: "Admission to the top schools was granted based on a student's PSLE results, not financial status or family connections like at private schools in other countries. Education was kept affordable with generous grants and subsidies. Although it was true that the independent schools charged higher school fees than a regular government or government-aided school would, needy students were not limited in their educational choices by the inability to pay school fees….In theory, any hardworking student could seize those opportunities that the top schools afforded. If you weren't a student at a top school, it could only mean that you hadn't studied hard enough to merit those resources; in which case, you didn't deserve to have them. Resources should be allocated to the ones who would make the best use of them. But even Rowena knew that line of argument was flawed. A middle class family could afford private tuition to help their child do better in the PSLE, while a student from a low-income family would just be left to his or her own devices in school, with a teacher who had to attend to a class of forty other students…the top schools tended to be clustered around wealthier districts like Bukit Timah….This made them less accessible and therefore less attractive to disadvantaged students who lived in more remote areas and relied on public transport to get to school."

Every School a Good School has a memorable and endearing cast of characters, from Rowena and Janice and their schoolmates Ranjit, Megan, and the loyal and long-serving MOE head janitor Auntie Geok Peng, to hilarious supporting characters like PS/Education Carlsen Chiang who regards his new minister with deep suspicion, and former SAF general and MOS/Education Maximilius Quek who resents Li-Ann for taking the job which he felt was his for the taking. It's a story that I think would resonate with Singaporeans on some level, laugh out loud at some points and take a step back and reflect at others. Teo You Yenn, in her book This is What Inequality Looks Like, made the academic argument that we need to see that there are other strengths beyond academic ones that we should recognise and reward, and that we need to do better to blunt social stratification and create avenues for people on different pathways to have greater empathy for each other. Every School a Good School makes a similar argument through fiction and perhaps, can reach a broader audience and have the argument resonate more deeply on an emotional level.

Five stars.

[ashley]

With all the buzz about social inequality and the flaws of Singapore's meritocracy in recent years, Every School a Good School adds fruitfully to the discussion by framing these big ideas into a YA novel accessible and readable for youths living through this very education system. Though the issues of class, elitism and stereotyping may be familiar, the concept of INSTEP is refreshingly new, presenting a what-if that makes you curious and eager to see play out.
Both Rowena and Janice are well developed characters with individual strengths and flaws; as a reader I enjoyed watching them grow throughout the course of the story. The pacing is perfect and the thread of suspense throughout the novel kept me glued to the pages till the ending - i was done in one or two sittings.
To the author - please write more!

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

This brilliant book is probably this generation’s “Teenage Textbook” with a wicked socio economic bent!

Highly relatable for anyone who has gone through the Singaporean educational system, the story is on two fictitious Sec School gals who take part in the inaugural inter school exchange programme. As part of tracking progress on their experiences, the author cleverly weaves in issues surrounding inequality, peer pressure and differing social norms. Her layered story has so many interesting sub plots (and digs) at real issues faced by secondary school students in Singapore.

The maturity displayed by the young author is commendable. So too, her writing skills. Highly readable and thoroughly recommended!

[Si Qi · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS BOOK! every kid living in singapore should be reading this at some point ~ loved the references to rvhs, jurong point and jurong west library too

[themis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stamford Girls' School

[Lyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Everyone knew that the students at Stamford were rich, smart and special. It was just the way meritocracy worked, sorting kids into the places they fit best based on their intelligence and how much they could contribute to Singapore’s economy so that Singapore’s imited resources could be spent grooming the best and the brightest, who would naturally make the best use of such investments into their education.”

This was a book that hit close to home in many ways. Being a product of the system (some would say a “success story” of rags-to-riches via educational meritocracy), I have questioned its relevance in recent years, given what ‘meritocracy’ has become. The recent CNA documentary Measuring Meritocracy featured cogent views on how this ‘Singaporean value’ has become a trap and masquarade, thinly veiling the dynastic transmission of wealth and privilege. This book questions the same, through a relatable story of two Singaporean teenagers.

Although the first few pages of Part 1 threw me off, the rest of the book made up for the initial mental disjunct. A new Minister (from the opposition or otherwise) would never have “spent many sleepless nights preparing” a deck of slides to present to her juniors - a Minister of State and a Permanent Secretary. Ministers (or anyone DS and above) do not ‘present slides’ in MOE. It is ALWAYS a junior staff who does it, and who toils over the prep for that matter.

One of my favorite passages is where Ziqin captures the sentiment towards this other school splendidly:
“The trophy was currently sitting in SI’s trophy cabinet. That made it even more important for the SGS team to reclaim the trophy from the enemy (again) this year. Personal aspirations towards the national team aside, they simply couldn’t afford to lose the trophy to SI for another year. The horrible boys on SI’s debate team would never let them hear the end of it.”

Loved the social and political commentary; this is indeed a worthy successor - meet the Teenage Textbook of the 2020s!

9/10 ⭐️

@publiclibrarysg #publiclibrarysg #nlbsg #whatareyoureadingsg #readingnationsg #lbbreads #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #beautifulbookcovers #EverySchoolaGoodSchool #NgZiQin

[Sometimes IRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can this book be required reading for all involved in the Singapore education system in some way or other? It’s rare to find a read that’s insightful yet accessible and this book manages to do both.

Every School a Good School by Ng Ziqin gives us a version of Singapore that sticks closely to the source material. Names are changed but many institutions and characters are easily recognizable. In this fictional world, the minister of education is appointed from the ranks of the opposition and she proposes a radical initiative - an inter-school exchange program for students to experience school life in a different school.

Reading this book truly was an experience, from thinly veiled references to clear insights into the current Singaporean education landscape, Ng gives us an escape to an alternative Singapore that skews a little idealistic. Still, not everything was fun and games, with important social commentary on the attitudes and beliefs that keep the elite separate from the masses. Yes, certain schools do have greater access, but what is keeping those schools’ access apart from the belief in them? It really is a self-perpetuating cycle.

On the personal front, it was as if Ng had given voice to all my fears regarding baby’s education. There’s no traditionally “good” school in my neighbourhood and the pressure to send baby to my alma mater is high despite the distance. Besides, there’s no guarantee that baby will get into any of the schools being considered, what with me living in a BTO town. The sheer number of children in this area is staggering compared to the number of preferable schools. The competition is strong, guys. Much as I’ll like to take the chill attitude and instill internal loci of control in baby, it’s hard to ignore the realities of societal pressures and expectations. Can this reality have an ideal ending too?

Diversity meter:
Singaporean characters
Strong female characters

[Cherry (cherryreadsbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every School A Good School by Ng Ziqin (sleep-deprived ramblings ahead)

In her bid to address the inequalities between elite schools and “heartland institutions”, education minister Law Li-Ann (from the opposition!) proposes a radical exchange programme. INSTEP plucks one girl from each, makes them swap places like The Parent Trap but for an entire school term. It doesn’t take long for misfortune to strike.

This was an easy read that I downed in less than a day. It got me thinking about my days in a neighbourhood secondary school which I held complicated feelings towards. Like Megan, as someone who is inclined to the arts and humanities, neighbourhood schools don’t usually have enough resources, so they’re pooled towards Science and Math. Fixed answers, rote learning and all that. Though my school was kind enough to make alternative arrangements for me to take pure lit, something I’m ever grateful for.

Yet I’d also learned so much there about privilege and inequality and elitism. I also had a sh!tty teacher called Mr Koh, who had a big ego, spotted 3 topics which all didn’t come out for our O levels. Didn’t help in his case that he was laughing at the kids who bothered to study more. A real a$$. At least the one in this book is sort of nice at the end.

There’s much to unpack here. I remember uni friends from IP schools telling me they called students like myself NSKs (neighbourhood school kids) which I felt high key icky it. We still have a long way to go if we want to eradicate elitism. We’re already doing subject-based banding to allow students to flourish in their strengths. INSTEP seems like an even more radical and meaningful, if not logistically challenging, way of learning about each other’s differences. It may not ever become reality, but with Ng’s novel, we can dream!

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⚡️ (rounded up)

Thank you Epigram Books for this copy!

[Tess Blanch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 4.5.
I’ve been loving the YAs I’ve been reading lately including this one.

The new education minister proposes a new exchange program, INSTEP, for Secondary 3 students. For the pilot program, two students will swap school for one semester. The students will be coming from different school backgrounds - Rowena, a mediocre student from Singapore top girl’s schools, and Janice, overachieving pride of a “heartland institution.” They must survive the challenges and the pilot phase despite the many obstacles in being a successful student.



I love the story, love the characters and how they navigate the (Singapore) school system. I am not so familiar with how it works and their system is a bit complicated though it’s a bit similar to IB program, which I am familiar with. But I know at some point the description of being in a top school vs neighborhood school student is something we can relate. And I believe that every school is different from one another and also a good school in more ways than one.

I like how the author show the realties of studying in these schools, how the author delineates the differences in the quality of education of these school, the stereotypes, the judgment the people makes when you are in a particular school, forming conclusions, branding you of such and such, which shouldn’t be the case. I also like how she let us see into students’ life lives as they struggle to live up to its expectations, the pressure to always do good, when grades, diplomas or certificates are the marker of a being being good. Sadly, this is true not only in Singapore but in other schools around the world as well. The ending or the solution to the conflict sounds a bit perfect and I wish there are more into it but otherwise I love this book.


Though fiction, it has some truth in it, making you think of your own experiences, of maybe how to improve the system with always the students in mind. I also think that all school authorities and the people involve in making school curriculum must read this book. This book was a finalist for the Epigram Books Fiction Prize in 2022. Well-deserved!

[Wen Qing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light hearted, easy to read, and sometimes cheesy, Every School A Good School explores this scenario, following 2 girls from opposite ends of the Singapore education system who switched schools for a Term as part of the education ministry’s pilot test.

The blurb by Adrian Tan, author of The Teenage Textbook (absolute fire, btw) put it across well - if you ever wondered what it was like to go to a different school, this book is the answer to your what-ifs.

But Ng Ziqin presents more than just a YA Shojo story- it raises questions about our education system and its inequalities, how it amplifies social gaps and stereotypes despite its ‘best intentions’, and whether every school is actually “a good school”.

If you're expecting the usual narrative about shiny elite schools and shady neighbourhood schools, you'll find some of it inevitably present here. However, as we look deeper into the schools, we see that they are far more dynamic than their stereotypes suggest. Each system has its strengths and flaws. While some are specific to each institution, others are present in both schools, providing evidence that the schools are more similar than we might expect.

As someone who grew up in the protective bubble of an IP school, reading this was a much needed reminder of things I’ve been ignorant about, and privileges I’d taken for granted.

Regardless of which schools you went to, this book will take you back to familiar scenes, and possibly surprise you with things you might not have known about other schools.

[lilin23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breezed through this in 2 days! The plot revolves around 2 secondary 3 girls who switch schools for a term. Picked it up cuz I was highly intrigued by the imaginative potential of the story.

This was a book I picked up knowing how the ending/moral of the story would be like -- to encourage readers to recognise that (i) every child should be given to space to dream and succeed in their own terms; and that (ii) there is much we can learn from others outside our usual social circle, so long as we keep an open mind and go beyond our preconceptions/stereotypes.

What I liked about it was the journey (ie the storyline) Ng brings readers through, which I found tastefully done -- the various events and characters were linked in a believable (but slightly whimsical) manner, and kept the story going at a good pace. Rather nostalgic too, personally growing up and studying in sg where the situations Ng covered were all so familiar. Added bonus that her political / social references were very current too.

Overall a lovely read to spark imagination of what can be :)

[Calista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, thought-provoking and interesting, Every School a Good School by Ng Ziqin is about two secondary school girls who participate in the pilot run of an exchange programme between students from elite and neighbourhood schools.

Summary: The government has piloted a programme titled INSTEP, and two students have been selected as part of the test run: Rowena Law, an average student from one of Singapore's top schools, and Janice Choo, a top student from a neighbourhood school. As they exchange schools for one term, they learn more about the other side.

Tropes/Genres:
• coming of age
• young adult
• secondary school
• talks about the SG education system
• contemporary fiction
• set in Singapore

Review: This book was such a delight to read! I was surprised to find myself enjoying it so much. I thoroughly enjoyed following Rowena and Janice as they broadened their worldview and unlearned the stereotypes about neighbourhood schools and elite schools respectively throughout the story.

I was mildly irritated by the stereotypes presented in the first part, but the story got so much better as it went along, and I'm glad to say that I love this book. As an RGS girl, I've been on the receiving end of whatever stereotypes people have about, well, RGS girls. And I've experienced people being bitter towards me because of the school I attended. It doesn't matter if it's a good stereotype; it doesn't make it pleasant or okay. I think people tend to forget that we're people too. It's just not right to assume things about a person based on the school they attended. I like how this book called that out. Not all RGS girls are "rich, smart and special", and that's okay. This logic works both ways.

Stamford Girls' School (SGS) is obviously based on the real-life Raffles Girls' School, which I (and the author) attended. I found it very fun and interesting to pinpoint various things that were familiar to me, such as PPAs, AAs and the load of commitments Janice found herself struggling to cope with during her term in SGS. It's so realistic. Of course, I found some things in the portrayal of SGS quite unrealistic and sensationalised. Anything for drama, I guess.

Jurong Spring Secondary School (JSSS) is such a pretty name. I actually enjoyed learning more about the dynamics between Express and Normal (Academic/Technical) students in JSSS. I couldn't help but feel that a lot of Express students were hypocrites – they put elite school kids on a pedestal and criticised them for being snobbish (based on assumptions, if I may add) when they were exactly that. It's quite amusing.

The contrast between the two schools is interesting. For example, SGS displays a lot of school spirit, while JSSS was the stark opposite of that (until they got insulted, but yeah). There are also other ways the two schools contrasted, such as the subjects offered, the amount of extracurriculars and even the whole academic curriculum, actually. I like how the author makes the effort to portray both schools as realistically as possible, showing both the good and bad parts.

I love how the author developed the characters and the changes in their perspectives about the environment and people in the school they transferred to as part of INSTEP. I think the author really captured the essence perfectly and put in plenty of important questions that are worth pondering. I really loved most of the characters in the story. I think INSTEP is an amazing idea, though there are many ways it can go wrong. I really like how the author handled this concept in the book.

On a side note, I find it a little hard to believe that Rowena didn't know how to play pool because everyone I know knew how to play it, but I find her experience learning it so fun! You know, it never even occurred to me that, as Rowena pointed out, elite school kids spoke differently. I mean, I didn't think it was that different. No one ever pointed it out to me either. I just find all these details so interesting. It was also cool to learn about more education paths, such as the Nitec in Western Culinary Arts and the Polytechnic Foundation Programme. Prior to this book, I wasn't particularly familiar with anything apart from the A-level. It's really eye-opening.

I think it's so important for people to learn to stop ranking types of education paths, like JC, poly and ITE. To me, they're all good. And maybe that's what Mr Heng Swee Keat meant by "Every school, a good school". I mean, people are different and suited for different things. There isn't a point in trying to fit all students into a single mould. JC is not the ideal path for everyone, and that's perfectly fine. Sure, JC is a shorter path to university, which may be why parents push for this ideal, but we all deserve to grow at our own pace.

At first glance, this may seem like a book that perpetuates stereotypes about elite schools and neighbourhood schools. However, as you read along, you will realise that the author dives into diverse experiences that many different students can relate to. I really enjoyed the portrayal of SGS and JSSS and the dynamics and environment of both schools.

Of course, this book won't suddenly make you an expert about Singapore's academic climate and the disparity and gaps in social circles. It's fiction. However, it is an adequate first peek into our issues. Meritocracy is a great concept ideally, but the real world is not ideal. People are bound to make their own rules and form their own views. That's just how society works. And that's how such disparity happens.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this book to people who are interested in the topic of stereotypes and assumptions about students from elite schools and neighbourhood schools. I think the author dives into these topics intricately, uncovering the philosophy and psychology behind the mindsets people have about schools and students of different academic backgrounds.

[Khelath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a product of the education system this book is based on, I am struck by the level of detail in it, from the policies it describes to the culture in the two schools in the story. Readers like me might find many things familiar. I was also impressed by the way the author described the thought processes of the two lead characters and her well-balanced treatment of the other students. No one is a cliche and each side had interesting ideas to think about. A must read for anyone who’s been in the Singapore education system.

[En · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly wonder how it’s like to read this as someone who was not from rgs because every detail about it sent me giggling. And the toilet incident, the not-so-subtle rivalry with the brother school, being “not good enough” even to the point of burning out initially. One thing I wanted to see more was interactions between Janice and Rowena, because no way they only started talking to each other proper at the end 😭 but the dual storylines between the adults and kids was also a nice touch!!

[den. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather commendable effort for a first time novelist — appreciated the references to specific incidents and even what has been uttered in real life (“The way you talk and the way we talk are different. Like you all feel you are high class, and we are not.")

Writing was at times facile, and read like an extended composition written by a primary school student, albeit with better vocabulary and expressions. Plot borders on K-dramaesque type of dramatic, and this is not quite a compliment.

[Simon Chesterman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this first novel by NUS Law student Ng Ziqin, “Every School a Good School”. It’s “Trading Places” meets “The Teenage Textbook” with a dash of “Dead Poets Society” thrown in. Non-Singaporean readers may need to Google a few terms, but the trials and tribulations of navigating secondary school come through loud and clear. Brava!

[Gussy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy YA read with some deep insight into the local schooling system in Singapore. The characters are believable and the storyline is interesting. I quite enjoyed this book and actually wanted more at the end of it. What happens with Rowena and Janice? What does phase 2 of the exchange program look like? Maybe a sequel? 😊

[Benjamin C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great local read that highlights the inherent stereotypes and disparities between the “elite schools” and “neighbourhood schools” in Singapore’s education system. The vision of every school being a good school, albeit idealistic, is aspirational. The idea of labels perpetuating behaviors and stereotypes was also striking to me.

[Evangeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite an interesting plotline with glimpses of reflections that hint at broader themes such as inequality, fairness, merit, youth, and education. Agree with another review that the writing style is a tad expositional, and personally I found the ending slightly rushed and a bit too convenient? But overall, it was still a nice and easy read which I enjoyed for the most part.