Duty for Singaporeans, Scholarships for Foreigners

First of all, I've have to congratulate Ms Haw Sue Hern for topping her cohort of "O-level" examination takers. Her 10 A1s made her numero uno or number 1.

However, her story is the tip of the trend that is one that constantly jars on the ears of a reservist conscript who did his duty, honour and country and who increasingly sees more of our foreign talent policy benefitting the foreigners but not our locals directly.

The irony of the situation is this. Ms Haw came to Singapore to CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls school on a bond-free scholarship. She is Malaysian and studies on CHIJ or Government (even aided schools are largely funded by MOE or taxpayers funds). But do Singaporean children get the same opportunity as her for such bond-free scholarships? On top of that, we learn that she is leaving Singapore to study back in Malaysia. So we funded her education here so that she could have a good time achieving the number 1 spot in her O levels to say "bye and thanks for the scholarship but I'm not going to study here so that I will work in singapore later, hor?"

The 16-year-old attended CHIJ St Nicholas on a scholarship which did not have a bond.

I must admit, when I was studying, I wasn't the top O level student and my PSLE results while good enough to get me tested for the gifted program wasn't good enough for RI (but it was good enough to get into Special Assistance Plan schools). However, I wonder about whether scholarships are equally available to deserving Singaporean students. Anecdotally, I don't seem to see any but if there are, any one who is currently teaching in our local secondary schools may enlighten me. I know of scholarships at JC level for the humanities program where I was part of (the program, not the scholarship).

So why are you pointing this out
If it were true that foreigners get scholarships to study here while Singaporean males get to do NS, it's really sad how we've tilted our system of meritocracy to the point where citizenship counts for far less than academic intelligence.

So tell me again why did I don number 4 green fatigues to serve 2.5 years of conscription and 10 years of annual in-camp training including two operational tours of duty? Will my daughter get the same opportunities at a scholarship when she is in secondary 1? Will my daughter's male classmates at age 12/13 get the same opportunity under our much vaunted "meritocratic" system to study at taxpayers sponsored studies for 4 years?

Tell me again to the parents of those who died during NS that their sons died for a system where intelligence is favoured over citizenship? Where taxpayers funds go to helping foreign talent become better anywhere in the world when they are not bonded to Singapore?

Majullah Singapura.

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Afternote on 14 Jan 2009: I understand that there are MOE Edusave scholarships given to Singaporeans for primary 5 and 6 as well as secondary students for the top 10% of their levels. There are also Edusave Independent School scholarships given to top 1/3 of those who are posted to Independent schools. That helps somewhat but unfortunately male students would have to still serve NS when they turn 18/19.