Mugging in Singapore: A Culture of Studying to Score?

Walk into any library during exam season in Singapore, and you’ll see it — rows of students poring over stacks of notes, highlighters in hand, memorising formulas and model answers. This phenomenon, widely known as “mugging,” has become almost synonymous with student life in Singapore. For many, it is seen as a necessary strategy to cope with the high academic expectations and fierce competition of the education system.

But the bigger question is: Does mugging reflect true learning, or just a race to score well?

Why Mugging Persists

Several factors explain why mugging remains so ingrained:

• High-Stakes Exams: With PSLE, O-Levels, and A-Levels acting as major gateways, students often feel that short-term memory work is the fastest route to secure grades.

• Cultural Expectations: Parents, peers, and even societal norms equate academic achievement with future success, reinforcing the focus on results.

• Time Pressure: With multiple subjects, CCA commitments, and limited time, mugging is perceived as the most efficient way to cover vast syllabi.

It’s no surprise, then, that many students resort to rote memorisation and last-minute cramming, hoping that exam papers will mirror what they drilled into memory.

The Cost of Mugging

Yet, mugging has its consequences. Studies in cognitive psychology consistently show that cramming leads to short-term retention, but much of the information fades quickly after exams. Worse still, it risks conditioning students to value scores over genuine understanding, leading to:

• Shallow Learning: Concepts memorised without comprehension are easily forgotten and rarely applied outside the classroom.

  
  

• Burnout: Intense cramming cycles contribute to stress, fatigue, and demoralisation.

  
  

• Misaligned Skills: In the real world, problem-solving, creativity, and adaptability matter more than regurgitating textbook content.

This raises the concern: are students equipped for life beyond examinations, or only trained to survive them?

Alternative Perspectives

To be fair, mugging isn’t entirely without merit. For some, the discipline of drilling builds resilience and exam readiness. Others argue that since exams remain the “currency” of Singapore’s meritocratic system, mugging is simply a rational response to a results-driven environment.

However, educators and parents are increasingly questioning whether this approach, while effective in the short term, undermines long-term intellectual growth.

An Open-Ended Question

Perhaps the real contention lies in this: Should we continue to accept mugging as part of the “Singapore way,” or is it time to redefine success in learning? If the nation’s edge truly lies in human capital, then developing curiosity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning habits may be more valuable than perfect exam scores.

Yet as long as high-stakes exams dominate, the tension between mugging for grades and learning for understanding will remain.