His two sons
'We are forced to spend large sums of money overseas when I would rather spend it at home.'
MR ONG SOON YAM: 'I have two sons. One had to study at one of the nearest and most affordable institutions, the University of Western Australia. Despite scoring reasonably good grades for his A levels, he was rejected by local universities. His three-year Australian university education costs about $100,000. The other boy is in junior college. As an average student, he too is likely to be 'forced' to take the overseas route. It appears we must set aside another $150,000 to $200,000, when he is slated to enrol in university, after his national service. While I accept that local universities must allocate places for foreign students, the Government and local universities must not lose sight that a university education abroad costs an arm and a leg. We are forced to spend large sums of money overseas when I would rather spend it at home, and help our economy.'
Transparency
'Publish the cut-off point.'
MR KHOO LIH-HAN: 'Our three local universities should publish the cut-off point for grades which qualify for intake in each academic year. This will help parents and students know exactly where they lack when applying. When I applied, I met nearly all the local faculty requirements, but obviously there are certain key subjects they look for in specific faculties - for example, mathematics in engineering. The rankings of local universities depend on the calibre of students they take in. I guess only the best of the best are considered for admission.'
Help these S'poreans too
'Shouldn't the Government provide places for qualified applicants, even though they may not be world-class undergraduates?'
MR YAP CHUAN LING: 'Every child who qualifies should be given a place in a local university to pursue his choice of study. Granted, as the Government maintains, Singapore must have world-class universities, hence the rejection of many who meet admission requirements. If that is so, is there no place in Singapore for Singaporeans to graduate from non-world-class universities? Shouldn't the Government provide places for qualified applicants, even though they may not be world-class undergraduates? After all, the male members of their families do national service, and with other members, they pay tax, and contribute to the manpower (and the babies) we desperately need.'
Old dream
'Why have opportunities of a university education lagged so far behind local demand for so many years?'
MR PAUL KWA: 'The dream to pursue a university education is far from recent. It existed in 1973, when I did my A levels. Many polytechnic graduates then had to go overseas to pursue their degree. Why have opportunities of a university education lagged so far behind local demand for so many years?'
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'We are forced to spend large sums of money overseas when I would rather spend it at home.'
MR ONG SOON YAM: 'I have two sons. One had to study at one of the nearest and most affordable institutions, the University of Western Australia. Despite scoring reasonably good grades for his A levels, he was rejected by local universities. His three-year Australian university education costs about $100,000. The other boy is in junior college. As an average student, he too is likely to be 'forced' to take the overseas route. It appears we must set aside another $150,000 to $200,000, when he is slated to enrol in university, after his national service. While I accept that local universities must allocate places for foreign students, the Government and local universities must not lose sight that a university education abroad costs an arm and a leg. We are forced to spend large sums of money overseas when I would rather spend it at home, and help our economy.'
Transparency
'Publish the cut-off point.'
MR KHOO LIH-HAN: 'Our three local universities should publish the cut-off point for grades which qualify for intake in each academic year. This will help parents and students know exactly where they lack when applying. When I applied, I met nearly all the local faculty requirements, but obviously there are certain key subjects they look for in specific faculties - for example, mathematics in engineering. The rankings of local universities depend on the calibre of students they take in. I guess only the best of the best are considered for admission.'
Help these S'poreans too
'Shouldn't the Government provide places for qualified applicants, even though they may not be world-class undergraduates?'
MR YAP CHUAN LING: 'Every child who qualifies should be given a place in a local university to pursue his choice of study. Granted, as the Government maintains, Singapore must have world-class universities, hence the rejection of many who meet admission requirements. If that is so, is there no place in Singapore for Singaporeans to graduate from non-world-class universities? Shouldn't the Government provide places for qualified applicants, even though they may not be world-class undergraduates? After all, the male members of their families do national service, and with other members, they pay tax, and contribute to the manpower (and the babies) we desperately need.'
Old dream
'Why have opportunities of a university education lagged so far behind local demand for so many years?'
MR PAUL KWA: 'The dream to pursue a university education is far from recent. It existed in 1973, when I did my A levels. Many polytechnic graduates then had to go overseas to pursue their degree. Why have opportunities of a university education lagged so far behind local demand for so many years?'
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