If Singaporeans don't earn enough, you can't blame the government

[Leongsam]

This confirms what I've been saying all along

******
Lack of drive in Singaporean students a worry

Published on Feb 1, 2012




Education Minister Heng Swee Keat at the forum with (from left) SMU business undergraduate Mohamed Irshad, who is also president of SMU Apolitical, which organised the event, Ms Mayumi Soh and forum moderator Ryan Tan. At the event, Mr Heng recounted a meeting earlier in the day with CEOs, several of whom had said they were not seeing enough drive in Singaporean students. -- ST PHOTO: TED CHEN

By Andrea Ong

The Education Minister is concerned about the number of employers who have said that Singaporean students lack drive and the confidence to venture out of their comfort zone.

These are the very qualities that chief executives and entrepreneurs singled out to him as being essential to succeed in the competitive global playing field.

Mr Heng Swee Keat was speaking to some 300 university students at a forum at the Singapore Management University (SMU) last night. He recounted his meeting earlier in the day with a group of CEOs who own their own companies.

When he asked what personal qualities are necessary to succeed, many of them said: Drive. 'They said, 'We think this is going to be critical (but) we are not seeing enough of this',' said Mr Heng, who was surprised at the number of CEOs who mentioned it. 'I said, how can that be? Our students work very hard,' he added. He had a long discussion with them, which did not throw up any solutions.

 

[neddy]

(deleted original response)

sian!

the solution is obvious, but the Singapore govt still cannot get it.

If a school teaches, the knowledge is passed on but nothing is added to the knowledge.

Try to question a bit and the teacher get angry and defensive.

It is still the same. The teacher know best. The students just have to follow. The emphasis is on the result, not the enjoyment of seeking knowledge to obtain the result.

 

[red amoeba]

i blame the education system - regurgitation has been the norm for decades.

now suddenly, you wanna change? Take one generation or two.

 

[Simbian]

When you eliminate all possibilities, whatever remains, no matter how implausible, is the answer - our public school system has failed.

I wonder if this Education Minister will take up the baton to change the public schooling system. But I guess not, since the Old Man will tell him the hard truth is that we have poor genes, we deserve it and ask him to move on to another ministerial portfolio.

 

[Leongsam]

When you eliminate all possibilities, whatever remains, no matter how implausible, is the answer - our public school system has failed.

The school system is excellent. Education can only provide the basic tools. Drive, determination and hard work has to come from within.

Your post is a perfect example of how Singaporeans blame everyone but themselves for their failures.

 

[Simbian]

The school system is excellent. Education can only provide the basic tools. Drive, determination and hard work has to come from within.

Your post is a perfect example of how Singaporeans blame everyone but themselves for their failures.

And your reply is typical of PAP supporter, the mentality of what I call a value extractor with high levels of cognitive dissonance. I just have higher expectations of the current system. Since they want world class salaries, I expect them to be world class. I expect an education system which can really equip students to become motivated, productive, thinking human beings, not this factory model of education that started in the 19th century.

 

[po2wq]

... He had a long discussion with them, which did not throw up any solutions.

gahmen shud start calling all sg studens talens 1st ...

 

[red amoeba]

The school system is excellent. Education can only provide the basic tools. Drive, determination and hard work has to come from within.

Your post is a perfect example of how Singaporeans blame everyone but themselves for their failures.

the education system is instrumental in shaping and grooming the potential / future undertaking of the child.

for so long, inquisitive child is deemed trouble maker and disruptive to the class. a child who refuse to follow the routine is hauled for disciplinary actions. a child who failed in exams is deemed failure and rubber stamped for doom.

teachers are made to follow rigidly the syllabus and under pressure to finish the curriculum before end of semester.

science theory is taught and memorised - little is left for the child's exploration.

mind you, a child spends easily 6 hours or more, 5 x a week in school. After that, a child has to complete homework. Not to mention extra lessons / remedial classes / catch-up classes.

and i did not include supplementary stuff that the parents register the child for....

 

[Leongsam]

for so long, inquisitive child is deemed trouble maker and disruptive to the class. a child who refuse to follow the routine is hauled for disciplinary actions. a child who failed in exams is deemed failure and rubber stamped for doom.

There is nothing stopping any child from dropping out and re writing the rules. Those who don't like marching to the drumbeat of the masses can play their own tune.

 

[red amoeba]

There is nothing stopping any child from dropping out and re writing the rules. Those who don't like marching to the drumbeat of the masses can play their own tune.

if a child has to drop out to be successful, speaks so much about the 'mainstream' education isn't it?

 

[Leongsam]

if a child has to drop out to be successful, speaks so much about the 'mainstream' education isn't it?

Mainstream education is no different in other countries. Many countries sit for the same exams. How the exams are approached and the importance of the grades attached to the results is up to parents and the child him/herself.

The world's richest men dropped out to pursue their own agenda. There is no reason why a Singaporean can't do the same.

Write a good app for the iPhone and 1 million downloads can make an 18 year old a millionaire in a matter of months.

 

[mojito]

I see nothing wrong with our education system at all. The problem is we have an oversupply of overqualified young men and women who expect the society to value their skills, knowledge and intelligence. Society has failed these young people by overeducating our young for an economy that is backward and unsophisticated.

ADD: That is why so many new jobs created are low value-added services that exacerbates the race to the bottom. aka cheaper better faster

 

[zhihau]

I expect an education system which can really equip students to become motivated, productive, thinking human beings, not this factory model of education that started in the 19th century.

bro,
please join the teaching fraternity!

 

[Leongsam]

Society has failed these young people by overeducating our young for an economy that is backward and unsophisticated.

As usual, the blame is placed on someone else. If it's not the government, it's "society". Well I have news for you... society is you, your parents, your friends, your relatives and your work mates. If you want to take the blame along with your fellow countrymen, I won't stop you.

There are many other avenues to success. Higher qualifications are but one option. Nobody is being forced into a tertiary education. They choose to go or they're forced into it by their parents. In my opinion, the buck stops with the family.

 

[red amoeba]

Mainstream education is no different in other countries. Many countries sit for the same exams. How the exams are approached and the importance of the grades attached to the results is up to parents and the child him/herself.

The world's richest men dropped out to pursue their own agenda. There is no reason why a Singaporean can't do the same.

Write a good app for the iPhone and 1 million downloads can make an 18 year old a millionaire in a matter of months.

its a difference dropping out of Havard / Stanford / university compared to dropping out of primary / secondary school..which is where the greatest brain damage is being done right now.

 

[Char_Azn]

its a difference dropping out of Havard / Stanford / university compared to dropping out of primary / secondary school..which is where the greatest brain damage is being done right now.

Our really screw up system didn't seem to stop George Quek from starting Breadtalk. Or the young chaps who started Sticky Candy. Or this guy

 

[Fook Seng]

Our really screw up system didn't seem to stop George Quek from starting Breadtalk. Or the young chaps who started Sticky Candy. Or this guy

If you cannot examples of successful investors, the economic system will be the most screwed up in the world.

 

[Char_Azn]

If you cannot examples of successful investors, the economic system will be the most screwed up in the world.

We have the highest percentage of millionaires in the world our system is hardly screwed

http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/jun2011/pi2011062_946842.htm

 

[Fook Seng]

We have the highest percentage of millionaires in the world our system is hardly screwed

http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/jun2011/pi2011062_946842.htm

The millionaires are also the most indebted in the world because even a pigeon hole will also take up a good part of the million.

 

[ChaoPappyPoodle]

We have the highest percentage of millionaires in the world our system is hardly screwed

http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/jun2011/pi2011062_946842.htm

At least half of the millionaires are overpaid civil servants.