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Singapore volunteers forced to work long hours without rest for YOG
August 17th, 2010 | Author: Your Correspondent
Since the eruption of the “DOG” food scandal, more and more Singapore volunteers have been stepping forward with horrid tales of the inhumane treatment they are being subjected to volunteering for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
Many are students in secondary schools, ITEs, polytechnics and junior colleges and were coerced to volunteer for the YOG by their schools. One JC even threatened students with six hours of Corrective Work Order if they do not volunteer.
[Get instant updates and discussions about the YOG on our Facebook page here]
According to the feedback we receive, the students often had to work for long hours without proper meals or rest and some have to take cabs home after 1am as no transport is provided.
One JC student told us that he was forced to serve as an usher at Jalan Besar stadium for one entire week from 4pm to 11pm daily and still has to attend school at 8am the next day.
“I am dead tired every day I return home and fall to sleep immediately. Where got time to study. I am worried for my term tests in two weeks’ time,” he wrote in exasperation.
Another polytechnic student volunteering at the Youth Olympic Village work from 1.30-10.30pm daily and apparently she is only entitled to one pathetic packed meal.
“In addition, the volunteers were not even given chairs to take a rest because apparently one member of the organising committee commented that some other individuals were lazy and took all the chairs away. Imagine standing straight for 10 hours?” she exclaimed.
These accounts were corroborated by a letter from an irate parent Lim Yoke Peng which was published in the Straits Times Forum on 14 August 22010:
“I was appalled by the meals served to volunteers of the Youth Olympic Games (’Caterer acts after criticism of YOG food’; yesterday). My son, who is a junior college student, was enlisted as a volunteer. He had to train for weeks from 11am to 11pm and sacrificed weekends. So it is irresponsible of the organisers to neglect basic requirements like a proper meal or transport. After training, volunteers must find their way home. How would one expect to encourage pride in service?”
Our students are already stressed up by the heavy school load. The PAP regime and MOE should not impose additional burden on them by forcing them to volunteer for the YOG which has nothing to do with their studies anyway.
August 17th, 2010 | Author: Your Correspondent
Since the eruption of the “DOG” food scandal, more and more Singapore volunteers have been stepping forward with horrid tales of the inhumane treatment they are being subjected to volunteering for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
Many are students in secondary schools, ITEs, polytechnics and junior colleges and were coerced to volunteer for the YOG by their schools. One JC even threatened students with six hours of Corrective Work Order if they do not volunteer.
[Get instant updates and discussions about the YOG on our Facebook page here]
According to the feedback we receive, the students often had to work for long hours without proper meals or rest and some have to take cabs home after 1am as no transport is provided.
One JC student told us that he was forced to serve as an usher at Jalan Besar stadium for one entire week from 4pm to 11pm daily and still has to attend school at 8am the next day.
“I am dead tired every day I return home and fall to sleep immediately. Where got time to study. I am worried for my term tests in two weeks’ time,” he wrote in exasperation.
Another polytechnic student volunteering at the Youth Olympic Village work from 1.30-10.30pm daily and apparently she is only entitled to one pathetic packed meal.
“In addition, the volunteers were not even given chairs to take a rest because apparently one member of the organising committee commented that some other individuals were lazy and took all the chairs away. Imagine standing straight for 10 hours?” she exclaimed.
These accounts were corroborated by a letter from an irate parent Lim Yoke Peng which was published in the Straits Times Forum on 14 August 22010:
“I was appalled by the meals served to volunteers of the Youth Olympic Games (’Caterer acts after criticism of YOG food’; yesterday). My son, who is a junior college student, was enlisted as a volunteer. He had to train for weeks from 11am to 11pm and sacrificed weekends. So it is irresponsible of the organisers to neglect basic requirements like a proper meal or transport. After training, volunteers must find their way home. How would one expect to encourage pride in service?”
Our students are already stressed up by the heavy school load. The PAP regime and MOE should not impose additional burden on them by forcing them to volunteer for the YOG which has nothing to do with their studies anyway.
