I feel it’s less about piano-style rigorous practice, less about international standardized benchmark (though some u.s. students and schools become very very good at that too.)

I guess it’s more about “independent learning”. Lower stress and lower academic motivation. In theory, the students get to explore and decide what she wants to learn, but at that age can they make those decisions and find those directions? Does it really translate to anything meaningful in later life?

I think one keyword is “choice”. I guess in reality Singapore students have fewer choices in and outside/beyond the academic routes. The system, rather than the parents or students, decide (based on grades) to send you to one of a few streams.

U.S. also has top schools, but their competitive selection put less emphasis on grades.