Prime Minister Lawrence Wong sketched out his government's priorities in his first National Rally address, with a focus on parents, education and housing. Do the announcements show a significant shift towards a different kind of Singapore?
SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan and Assistant Professor Elvin Ong from the political science department at NUS give their assessment.
(From L-R) Assistant Professor Elvin Ong, NUS political science department, Crispina Robert, Steven Chia, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan. (Photo: CNA/ Junaini Johari)
Here's an excerpt from the conversation:
Eugene Tan:
Someone did quip that we now have (Gifted Education Programme) streaming at the highest level, right? Because everyone wants to be streamed into this high ability program. And whether (it will) result in more competition because students or parents will say, you should try to get into this ...
Crispina Robert:
But I think it's a good thing. (Of) the things that was announced at the rally, I thought this was really quite something, because it's been around for so long.
(Previously) they are funneled based on all the subjects, like they have to be good at everything, they have to be smart at everything. Whereas now ...
Steven Chia:
You can be stupid in some things?
Crispina Robert:
Yes, they could be great at English and not so good in Math, yeah, and they would be in the high ability English class.
Steven Chia:
And it should be, because if you love music, you're really good at it, by all means go for it.
Crispina Robert:
(So) PM Wong says it's not just policy and policy only goes so far. The main thing is the mindset change, right? I'm sure we all agree on that. But really, how long would that take?
Steven Chia:
To change mindsets? Wow.
Eugene Tan:
It could take a generation even, right? But we need to make a start somewhere. We need to get it moving, because we need to reduce the pressures in our schools.
As parents, we all know that children bloom and blossom at different ages, and there shouldn't be one exam that defines you for life.
Elvin Ong:
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SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan and Assistant Professor Elvin Ong from the political science department at NUS give their assessment.
(From L-R) Assistant Professor Elvin Ong, NUS political science department, Crispina Robert, Steven Chia, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan. (Photo: CNA/ Junaini Johari)
Here's an excerpt from the conversation:
Eugene Tan:
Someone did quip that we now have (Gifted Education Programme) streaming at the highest level, right? Because everyone wants to be streamed into this high ability program. And whether (it will) result in more competition because students or parents will say, you should try to get into this ...
Crispina Robert:
But I think it's a good thing. (Of) the things that was announced at the rally, I thought this was really quite something, because it's been around for so long.
(Previously) they are funneled based on all the subjects, like they have to be good at everything, they have to be smart at everything. Whereas now ...
Steven Chia:
You can be stupid in some things?
Crispina Robert:
Yes, they could be great at English and not so good in Math, yeah, and they would be in the high ability English class.
Steven Chia:
And it should be, because if you love music, you're really good at it, by all means go for it.
Crispina Robert:
(So) PM Wong says it's not just policy and policy only goes so far. The main thing is the mindset change, right? I'm sure we all agree on that. But really, how long would that take?
Steven Chia:
To change mindsets? Wow.
Eugene Tan:
It could take a generation even, right? But we need to make a start somewhere. We need to get it moving, because we need to reduce the pressures in our schools.
As parents, we all know that children bloom and blossom at different ages, and there shouldn't be one exam that defines you for life.
Elvin Ong:
The policy must reinforce certain kind of behaviors and certain kind of attitudes, the people themselves must move towards a more kind of a less competitive mindset, and then once everything aligns, gradually over time, that cultural change happens.
Find more episodes of Deep Dive here.
A new episode of Deep Dive drops every Friday. Follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify for the latest updates.
Have a great topic for us? Drop the team an email at cnapodcasts [at] mediacorp.com.sg
Continue reading...