S'pore teens turning to Telegram to share study tips and resources

Students here are building a parallel study culture of their own, through Telegram channels and other online spaces.

- Clay Lim

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.