suspicions aside, the fact that students from neighboring countries get to see, feel and immerse in the educational excellence that sg provides is enough to arouse envy and cause a gut-filled sensation that something good can be emulated from the sg system. the punctuality, the cleanliness, the discipline, the methodical coursework and teaching, the respect and reward of the teaching profession, the attention of parents, the funding, and the results. it doesn't have to be wholesale adoption of the sg system. just snippets of success and speedy efficiency that sg goes about planning and executing plans. it's about getting things done on time, and with the best value that money can buy. while being schooled in sg, the regional students can experience other aspects of the sg system (other than school): housing, transport, food, sanitation, entertainment, communication and online access, etc. when and if they return to their home countries, even though they may not assume positions of importance and high rank, some of the sg system of efficiency and effective value will be transferred virtually to their peers and higher ups in their new careers and environment. moreover, such goodwill and generosity will never be forgotten, no matter what suspicions or paranoia remain.
the other benefit to sg is the cherry-picking of talent from a larger critical mass in the region. instead of these bright kids wallowing in mediocrity back in their countries for lack of an organized eye looking out for such gifted young to groom and mentor, why not give them a chance at destiny for greatness at an sg school? out of the bigger pool of critical mass, all it takes for monumental change or a scientific breakthrough is one prodigy. education should not only be about uplifting entire masses of people to a higher intellect, but also finding the proverbial golden needle in the haystack. mankind's progress and continued survival, relevance and thrive rest on shoulders of the few (geniuses), not the masses.
here's the thought for the ages. for the human species and its sentience (and whatever it has achieved all these centuries) to outlive the inevitable destruction and death of the planet, solar system and galaxy, it requires the few brilliant ones to find solutions and alternatives to get out of this single-point-of-failure death trap called earth and hopefully populate and colonize other planets to offer the critical redundancy and planetary diversity for species survival. for this to happen, every country needs to contribute their best and brightest. sg is doing her part by chaperoning the best and brightest in the region, acting as surrogate mentor and facilitator which is sorely lacking in extremely myopic and self-serving south east asia.
