Competition is promoted instead of teamwork (not only amongst students, but also amongst teachers and civil servants in general). I've heard this from colleagu

Competition is promoted instead of teamwork (not only amongst students, but also amongst teachers and civil servants in general). I've heard this from colleagues who've worked in Singapore. Teamwork and collaboration don't appear to be cultural norms. I remember during my degree there were always one or two hyper competitive individuals who would deny having any knowledge of a problem when asked for assistance. They seemed to think helping others would adversely affect them in some way. The reality is that explaining concepts to others reinforces your own understanding, so you both benefit.