Teens are creating their own study culture - one Telegram channel at a time

New Paper

19 hours ago

Students here are building a parallel study culture of their own, through Telegram channels and other online spaces.
There now exists a new subculture of student-owned Telegram broadcast channels, where students share study tips and notes, with some also documenting aspects of their school life.
Over 20 of such channels have sprouted in the last two years and have become the go-to space for many looking for peer-driven support outside the classroom, apart from official resources like the Singapore Student Learning Space where teachers upload study materials for students.
Secondary 4 student Rachel Ho said she has benefited greatly from joining these channels as they provide her with many resources to beef up her own notes.
The 16-year-old often visits these groups before examinations to seek clarification for certain subjects, such as chemistry. This way, she does not need to "disturb" her teachers at odd hours, she said.
To make sure the notes that she comes across are reliable, she also compares them with her textbook.
Starting her "bluejaystudio" Telegram channel in May 2022 has made 19-year-old Ceri Chin Song Ai more motivated to complete her tasks.
She posts daily tasks such as her homework or revision plans on her channel, which helps her stay accountable to her 300 anonymous subscribers.
It helps that she, like many of her peers, spends a lot of time on Telegram.
"When I am on Telegram texting my friends, I might be reminded to study more so that I can also update my Telegram channel," said the teen, who has graduated from junior college and is awaiting the start of her university studies.
Raina Nafisa, 17, owner of "The Muggers" Telegram channel, which had over 2,300 subscribers at its peak, started the Telegram channel in July 2024 during her O-level year to share her notes and study advice with others as she wanted to motivate them to study.
Alongside her Telegram channel, she also previously hosted a study group on the Yeolpumta (YPT) study app.
The application allows students to track their study hours with a timer and helps them to be disciplined by restricting access to other apps on their electronic devices.
Groups of up to 50 users can be formed, across educational levels from secondary school to university.
Each group has a leader board displaying the usernames of students who clock the most hours studying daily.
Raina, who declined to reveal where she is studying now, finds YPT helpful as it pushes her to study more.
She said: "I would feel the pressure to study more than the person ahead of me on the leader board, although, as time went on, I realised that the quality of study matters more than the quantity."
Some students have also turned their study channels into a side gig.
Aspiring to be a teacher, 18-year-old Mohammed Danie Dahlan started posting his own social studies notes in 2023 right after his N-level exams. His "socialstudieslovers" channel on Telegram now has over 1,500 subscribers.
The first-year polytechnic student also gives advice on answering techniques.
First-year polytechnic student Mohammed Danie Dahlan, who owns the "socialstudieslovers" channel on Telegram, offers academic help like advice on answering techniques. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
In September 2024, he began to host one-to-one online consultations over Zoom with students, at a rate of $5 an hour. He has since coached around 20 students taking their O- and N-level examinations.
Beyond academic help, some Telegram channels try to offer emotional support to subscribers.
Junior college student Liesl Leong, 17, who owns the "smartie patootie" channel, gave her personal Telegram contact to her more than 200 subscribers so they can seek advice. She created the channel in July 2024 in Secondary 4.
When the O-level results were released in 2024, she provided emotional support over text to one of her subscribers who did not do well.
She attributed the rise in these channels partly to secondary school students now owning personal learning devices (PLDs) issued by schools.
She said: "I wouldn't even have started a Telegram channel if I didn't see how I could reach out to others. The PLDs have definitely helped students familiarise themselves with platforms such as Telegram and have provided access to those who previously lacked it."
Secondary 4 student Desirae Tay Xuan, owner of the "Rae's study corner" channel, said that online spaces supplement school support.
"Online communities offer a more judgment-free environment. Since most students are strangers, students feel safer asking for help without the fear of being judged," said the 16-year-old.
"I also get limited practice papers from my school as they only provide me with past-year papers from my own school. These channels help to fill that gap, giving me access to a broader range of materials."