NS obligation difficulties is something that a lot of people can’t appreciate. Its not just the 2 years (in my case 2.5 yrs) but a huge chunk of adult life. The amount of time spent on RT (and now thankfully IPT) is significant when its over 10 years (previously 13) + extra time for some. Just because one happens to be less physically fit than others.

Try competing with women in the work force who don’t have RT, IPT and such NS commitments as a concern. Nowadays, one doesn’t even have a NS bonus anymore. Too bad if you spend 2 extra years.

In some ways, it has ironically gone from skewed against women to skewed against men rather than gender equality in Singapore.

Some people even get the impression that male citizens are treated just like security guards (not that it is a bad profession but hope you get my point).

Its not easy and speaking from experience, there won’t be adequate compensation. That is something I understand.

But it always comes with a heavy cost (negative externalities) which may not be easily / directly attributable to the originator of economic growth – e.g in the form of pollution / wastes / social indifference / apathy among one another. It could well be the wrong sets of people who are enjoying the fruits and yet another wrong set of people who are suffering.

Competition among many insignificant small players in order to survive for the saving / benefits of a few major influential few. Everything needs fine balancing orelse it will collapse or burst just like in any bubble.

I’m of the opinion that the govt has been so obsessed with “economic value/ growth” since independence that other aspects can be sacrificed for the sake of it. While it may have served S’pore well in the past it should be re-looked at now before things become worse…

It’s actually not limited to education policies, this pragmatic mentality pervades most (if not all) of their policies…for better or worse.

The reason for expansion of education in Singapore is of progressive economic expansion. Singapore a small red dot trying to achieve what other big countries are capable of, and that is suicidal since we eventually will burst like a bubble. Instead of talking so much about economy, govt should focus on helping Singaporeans cope with rising inflation.

Lim,
I do not come from a well-off family. I am using my parent’s retirement – money to fund my education. I have to give tuition to pay my daily expenses. I am not as fortunate as you. However, I am more fortunate then our fellow citizens who cannot afford an access to internet.

I felt that, in Singapore, our G is expecting me to give more than what the country can give to me. You cannot compare Singapore with America. Base on what I was told, people in America, who are willing to serve the army, are given the right to enjoy free university education. (Correct me if I am wrong) Which means please pay up if you don’t intend to serve the nation. This is perfectly fine as people can choose one benefit and forgo the other.

Since, it is an obligation for all Singaporeans to serve the country; Singaporeans should be given a higher chance or at least there must be good reasons on why he or she is unable to get enrolled in. Obviously, the reason should not be FT.

Lim, you would not want to experience what I am experiencing. I will just name a few. Firstly, I am bugged by SAF to go for reservice (for my some of my friends who fail IPPT: IPPT training) for being a private university studying as a full-time student. This means that SAF discriminates local students who take up private studies. Secondly, the library that the private school provides has very limited facilities or place for me to use. Very often, I have to smuggle myself into Ngee Ann Poly or NUS just for a place to read my material or to find other references. Most of the time when I am there, I am quite pissed off. Groups of foreigners are using the facilities (e.g. borrowing of reference books) which I am not allowed to enjoy and what the hell; I am a Singaporean who sacrifices for the nation. Thirdly, I need to travel and without bus concession, I have to pay lot more and so on…. Every time, I remind myself I need to put up with all these inconveniency for another two years and I will be out working and searching for a better place and I feels better.

Last time, I always told myself I must change myself to fit the environment. Since I cannot change the system and had enough with this nonsense, so, this time, I am adding one more line to it. If I find myself being short-changed, I may leave this place for good if an opportunity arises. Some how, action speaks louder than words right?

There was once, during our conversation, a taxi uncle asked me since I know something about economic, why I didn’t join the opposition. I did not reply. I would rather keep myself reasonability low profile and spend more time on other things and this applies to the online discussion. You might feel that I am very stingy. Isn’t this Singapore?

PS. I am sharing my experience and feeling.

“You have the right to think that any person who goes overseas for an education on a loan is out-of touch and not a heartlander (even if you have no idea when was that).”

The fact that you have the ability to get a loan for overseas education shows that you come from a well-off background. Some banks don’t even have “education loans” for overseas studies and one has to take personal loans charged with interest at prime rate + 1%. Since you are well to do enough to manage a loan, WHO ARE YOU TO PREACH TO THOSE who are financially less fortunate about “the responsibility for higher education rest with the individual not the government.”?

I will say out the three magic words again even if you may not like it:
OUT OF TOUCH

Why no courage to put those sentences BACK TOGETHER AS THEY HAVE APPEARED IN THEIR ORIGINAL FORM IN YOUR POST? Just what exactly are you afraid in putting them together back into the original context if that’s is not meant to be an insult?

Best Regards

,b>Proposition 1: I’ve got a brain so I don’t need others to think for me.
Proposition 2: Some people can’t think for themselves

Conclusion: Some people don’t have a brain

Still cannot explain why this is not a insinuation of others as “brainless”. I think the REPEATED failure to tackle this IN THE ORIGINAL CONTEXT by lim settles the issue that these statements are degrading insults hurled at others who disagree with lim.

“Uh no. I did not attend a local uni although I was offered a place. It took me a number of years to pay off the loan.”

Haha. You know what, then you OUGHT TO PAY THE FULL PRICE FOR THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE OFFERED A PLACE IN A LOCAL UNI BUT YOU CHOSE TO GO OVERSEAS.

By saying that you are taking a loan to go for overseas education, you are trying to tell us that you are not rich, or at least in the upper middle class range? If you are not at least coming from an above average household, you think a bank would be so foolish to give you a loan without collateral or credit-worthy guarantor? WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO FOOL?

You think any heartland kid where the household income could be only at 2000 dollars per month can ask the bank to give them a loan for foreign education without collateral or a credit-worthy guarantor? You must be living in your dreams.

That’s why i say you are out of touch. Obviously you are not a heartlander.

Guess what? When you take a loan, YOU ARE TAKING A LOAN TO PAY FOR SUBSIDIZED UNIVERSITY TUITION FEES. Given that you now openly acknowledged that YOU ARE A BENEFICIARY OF PUBLIC SUBSIDIES, the principle of “responsibility for higher education rest with the individual not the government” so forcibly expounded by you earlier on is all but in tatters. By paying subsidized fees with a loan, aren’t YOU RELYING ON THE GOVT TOO?

>>”My stand is that individuals are ultimately responsible for their higher education. I’d like the Gahmen to help as much as they can but I don’t see why I am required to rely on them.”
>>

Of course you don’t need to rely on public subsidies BECAUSE you are so rich that you don’t need a single cent from public funds for your education. But are we talking about you, the rich minority here? We are talking about the majority of heartland young Singaporeans. Without the amount of dollar bills which you can flash around, these less well-off youngsters’ only hope in having a university education lies only in getting a place in the three local universities. Who cares whether a rich kid like you needs to rely on government subsidies? lol

>>I would like a big house, 6 figure salary too but I don’t expect the govt to give that to me.
>>

Building a strawman out of desperation. We don’t want a big house or a 6 figure salary, which are basic necessities for the upper class people like you which we can never afford in our lifetime. What we heartland youths want is that we can get a fair chance in OUR OWN COUNTRY to get into one of the local universities so that we can, in Mr Philip Yeo’s words, earn our basic degrees in order to qualify us in “washing test tubes” Big house and 6 digit salary? No no, we aren’t so demanding and greedy. Is it too much to ask for earning a basic degree so that we can have the chance to be hired as “test-tube washers”?

Actually I do not have a quarrel with anyone. Just because one person here can’t understand my position, choose purposely to misconstrue my position at every opportunity and choose to engage in insults doesn’t mean anything to me. Nothing new.

My stand is that individuals are ultimately responsible for their higher education. I’d like the Gahmen to help as much as they can but I don’t see why I am required to rely on them. If some people cannot understand or accept that, that’s too bad. That’s my position. I don’t expect anyone to agree.

I don’t think there is a human right to higher education (nor do I think that the govt subsidising university tuition fees is a fundamental human right) either. I would like a big house, 6 figure salary too but I don’t expect the govt to give that to me. Some may think isn’t that the govt’s role? It would be nice but its not going to happen. That’s my understanding. I don’t expect anyone to agree either.

People are entitled to put forth alternative views to the above and I respect that.

Thanks & Best Regards

Let’s see:

First you expounded that The responsibility for higher education rest with the individual not the government.

Then you said, “Yes, I agree that SG unis should be Singaporean first which is why I highlighted this.”

How on earth can you wish for a “Singaporean-First” policy in higher education when you feel that the responsibility for that lies in the individual and not the Government.?

Comments edited by moderator.

I appeciate your patience in trying to explain things. I have been brought up to be very pro Singapore (the old fashioned way lah) and that is why I always think that we should have policies that cater to our own Singaporeans first.

Now, certain policies just popped up just like that with our gahmen out of a sudden openly marketing (and giving us their million dollar reason on) the need for it.

Nowsaday, I even question whether my pro Singaporean view is being misplaced guaging from whatever crude feel that I have in the internet – with so called suspected counter insurgents parroting the views of our gahmen. Imagine people who openly support policies which sometimes need to have their pockets burned – who in the right mind (except those in the public sector) will do that.