Hsien Loong’s NDR speech on education and jobs

Singapore not only has high ranking universities but also world class polytechnics producing the best graduates a 1st World Education System is expected to do. We bent backwards to accommodate the pseudo requirements dictated by the ranking agencies to gain top rankings. We brought in plane loads of foreign academics and foreign students at the expense of our local academics and students just to look good on the charts of international rankings. We even over built our needs for universities to cater for foreign student intakes.
 
Where is the result? What is the result? Why are the employers and recruiting agencies screaming on top of their voices that they can’t find good graduates from the citizens and die die must import foreigners, even from 3rd World countries and unranked universities, including graduates from the streets of 3rd World cities with a piece of paper from printing machines, to replace our highly ranked graduates that went through a proper academic regime, the best in Southeast Asia and among the world?
 
This unsaid problem is finally acknowledged quietly with the setting up of two committees, the Tripartite panel to promote skills-based career advancement led by Tharman and the Applied Study in Polytechnics and ITE Review Committee chaired by Indranee Rajah. Presumingly they are going to review the education system so that our graduates are useful and good enough for the industries.
 
The biggest contradiction here is that our graduates are practically worthless compare to those from the 3rd World. That is why our graduates’ ambition is to be hawkers or taxi drivers while all the top and well paying jobs go to talented graduates from the 3rd World. What is wrong?
 
I would like to recommend the members of the two committees to visit India to learn from them. India does not have any high ranking universities. They don’t need this kind of recognition or farce. Their graduates are in demand in the West and heading many of their top MNCs. And we are also seeing great values in them and are recruiting them en mass to replace our top university untalented graduates. India does not have to waste money and resources to recruit foreign academics and students to boost their rankings. The value is in eating the pudding. And all the employers and recruiting agencies are getting the best employees hailing from India.
 
That is the first thing the two committees should do, head for India and learn from them. India has the right formula. Our education system has failed in educating our students and preparing them for employment. If we continue to open the door indiscriminately, India alone could provide us all the top talents that are needed to run this country and the industries, to take over this island of no talents, despite the high rankings of our universities that we spent so much money to attain but practically worthless, a name on a shit of worthless paper. Opps, I mean a sheet of worthless paper.
 
What is so good or so wrong with our education system?

Kopi Level - Yellow

Second generation PRs who chose not to serve NS

First generation PRs are not necessarily needed to serve NS. But their children are liable to. And to escape serving NS, some came up with crappy excuses like letting their children remain here in this island under student passes so that when the time comes they need not serve NS. Wonder why there is such a legal loophole? And they could come back as foreign talents, as new PRs or Employment Pass holders to work here. Correct me if I am wrong.

Ng Eng Hen was quoted in Parliament to have said, “As MINDEF has cautioned, these ex-PRs who have not served their NS, will face serious adverse consequences when they subsequently apply to study or work in Singapore.” So, what does this mean? What are the adverse consequences if the second generation PRs could still be issued with Student Pass or with Employment Pass, or may even be given PRs in their own rights? I say ‘may’ huh, not will be given.

So, what are the serious adverse consequences, like cannot become citizens and cannot serve NS but still can study or work here? Eng Hen did not elaborate on these but must be too serious to talk about them in case the PRs would be frightened away. This is like PG rating I supposed.

Unhappy and disadvantaged Singaporeans must be happy to hear about this and feeling good that the second generation PRs would have to face adverse consequences.

Kopi Level - Green

A little nostalgia of the colonial past

Top pic is the refurbished Victoria Theatre coming to life again.  In front of the theatre is a monument marking the visit of a Marquis of Dalhouise, the Governor General of British India in 1850 in making Singapore a free port. The pic was taken in a quiet Sat evening. Sitting there one could imagine a few colonial Englishmen appearing from a corner of the road like a few hundred years ago.

There were some flashback of memories of visiting the General Post Office to send telegrams and to pay water and electricity bills. The GPO is now the Fullerton Hotel. And still could remember making my Identity Card at one of the colonial office building, very likely the current Asian Civilisation Centre.

The second pic is the aging semi circular underpath linking Empress Place with the Esplanade, called 'Under the 5 trees' or 'gor chang chiew kar' in Hokien. A famous place for the locals to visit in the evening in the 50s and 60s. Many senior citizens would have walked through this underpath with their girl/boy friends or with their families then.

The bottom pic is the Singapore River at dusk and the glow of some street lamps from the past, still preserved but no longer lit by oil.

Shot these pics a week before National Day and on my way back to Raffles Place station after shooting the NDP rehearsal at Marina Bay. The area was pretty quiet as the crowd was at the NDP.

Kopi Level - Green

Peter Lim buying Valencia Football Club

I am proud of Peter Lim for his successful acquisition of the Spanish football club. He paid it with his own money, from his own pocket, the money that he earned himself. He can splurge on anything he wants. He can even throw his money in the air. He deserves to have fun with every cent of his money. It is his money, not public money, not your money or my money.

Peter Lim is buying glory and fame and fun. If I have that kind of money, I may do the same, be an emperor for a day or something like that. But Peter Lim is no fools. He is not throwing his hard earned money like someone from IMH. He calculated his every move and makes sure every dollar spent is worth it.

Peter Lim’s acquisition of Valencia is not for fun or a little ego trip, or borrowed glory. It is business. He is investing in a football club to make money. It is a commercial transaction. Businessmen that made their fortune do not throw away their money freely and easily. They are looking for real returns.

And Peter Lim will really cry if his investments go bust. But very likely he will be laughing to the banks and everyone would be clapping and cheering for him, for buying foreign talents to make money for him.

Kopi Level - Blue. Thank you.

I also cry for the table tennis team

After more than 10 years of importing foreign players to don our national colours, we have won many medals internationally, including the elusive Olympic silver medal. The table tennis players have worked hard, done well and deserving well paid for their effort.

Where are the real Singaporean table tennis players other than a couple in the reserves and never have the chance to play, maybe a couple of times when we were already assured of a win.

What is the purpose of hiring the foreign players? Did they say that they are here to provide training for our own players, to motivate our players to play for our country? Or are they here for the long haul, to represent our country while our own boys and girls will forever play the bridesmaid or worse, the page boys or flower girls? Is this what we want, is this money well spent?

At least the silly buggers in the football team have a target, to be in the finals of the World Cup by 2010 or something like that. Nevermind if they failed to meet that deadline. They could do so by buying more foreign players and make it in the next World Cup. We have plenty of money. But is there a clear objective for table tennis, a goal and a date to achieve it? Would we have our own national team by 2020 and stop wasting public funds importing more and more foreign players?

Would we still be cheering the foreign players in 2020 and our bridesmaids and page boys would still tag along, happily enjoying the glory attained by the foreigners and carrying the medals on their chests with pride?

The thought of seeing a repeat of 2014 in 2020 or in 2030 makes me cry. Doesn’t anyone understand what stupidity means? Doesn’t anyone feel embarrassed by the whole scheme of things? Would the next appointed President repeat the folly to claim more glory and jump wildly every time we won a medal?

Is this money well spent to build a Singaporean core of talents?

PS: Please do not berate the foreign players. They are just doing what they are paid for. They are young people who just love their sports and their professions. The young have the privilege to be ignorant and to enjoy their blessings.

Kopi Level - Blue.  Thank you.