I Not Stupid ( Chinese : 小孩不笨 ; pinyin : Xiǎohái Bù Bèn ) is a Singaporean comedy film about the lives, struggles, and adventures of three Primary 6 pupils who are placed in the academically inferior EM3 stream . Written and directed by Jack Neo , and produced by MediaCorp Raintree Pictures , the movie stars Xiang Yun , Richard Low , Selena Tan , Shawn Lee , Huang Po Ju and Joshua Ang . Released in cinemas on 9 February 2002, [1] I Not Stupid earned over S$ 3 . 8 million and is the third-highest grossing Singaporean movie, after Money No Enough and its 2006 sequel, I Not Stupid Too . Its satirical criticism of the Singaporean education system and social attitudes in Singapore sparked public discussions and parliamentary debates that led to reforms in the education system.