Education - A foolish pursuit in a wild goose chase

 

 Singapore does not have the luxury of education for the sake of education and personal enlightenment. In the West, when the rich aristocracy, got rich by wars and looting from the colonial countries and people, have enjoyed a life of plenty without having to work any more, just living on the stolen loots to pass time and living a life of leisure. Caveat, this privilege is ending as there are very few colonised countries left to loot.

Singapore's peasant aristocracy is a recent development of a few years, getting rich after independence. Only the old rich, and new rich though not that many, could afford to live a life of leisure like the colonial aristocrats. To the many asset rich Singaporean millionaires, their little riches would not go very far and everyone needs a job, needs to earn a living. 

Education to many Singaporeans is not a luxury but a necessity, an existential asset to earn a living and get by in this super expensive city state. Many did not get an education for education's sake. Many emptied their life savings for their children to get a good education. The most dreadful thing that can happen to this aspiration is to find the hundreds of thousands of dollars and time invested, turn to nothing, cannot get  decent job to even cover the cost of education and getting a degree. And some jokers sneakily commented what is the point of a degree when it cannot be eaten. Some even condescendingly said, a job or any job is good enough. Do not be choosy. What kind of people would make such callous remarks to shatter the dreams of hardworking Singaporeans aspiring to live a better life and investing time and money in it?

At the national level, a highly educated citizenry is also not a luxury. Any degree will do. The thought of some states with regard to educating their people could be seen in the results, the quality and strength of their development. In the past, for people living in the past, can do the job means ok liao. Anyone can become a dentist as long as he got the gut and strength to pull out a tooth. Not much training and education needed. Such shallow mentality would bring doom to their countries.

The country that is very serious about educating its people is China. China sent armies of students overseas to study the hard sciences and now has a big pool of STEM graduates that can contribute fully and productively to the nation's development. And today's development is all about science and technology, not about how to keep pets, not about how to cook a good meal, not about how to argue until black is white or white is black. The Americans also fell into this black hole, with many Americans going to universities just to get a degree, any degree will do other than the hard sciences. Comparing the strength of the Chinese and American economies and where they are heading does not need any explanation. One is sinking and one is exploding exponentially to become the new champion of the world.

What is Singapore's education achievement? Producing graduates without the skills needed in the industry, or not good enough, despite having straight As, to land a decent job. Probably getting a temp job or become a Grab driver or hawker. Is that where Singapore's education is heading, and then telling the graduates to be happy with any job, as long as it is a job. And then go around the world hunting for fake talents with funny degrees to take over the jobs that Singaporeans really need? 

What is the strategy of Singapore's Education? Just make sure that the parents and students are happy, ie to get a piece of paper, any kind of paper. After that, you die your business. You want a piece of paper, you want easy and no pressure education, you get it, we give it to you. And when you cannot get a good job, don't blame us. You ask for it.

The education of some third world countries are more focus. Education to get a good job, not for fun, not for entertainment or luxury. Not wanting to have an all round education that ended up knowing nothing, nothing useful in the industry. We want our children to be happy in schools, no pressure, cannot pressure our children. They are very precious. Good steel is made from extreme high temperature and many hammering and beating with great force. Cosy and fun education is just that, for fun and later to do temp jobs or jobs that do not need much thinking, no science or engineering knowledge and skills. And be happy. Why complain about not qualified or unable to compete with hungry third world talents?