Singapore for Singaporeans?

[Imami]

verykiasu2010:

3Boys:

[quote=\"resgmom\"]Why are we depriving our Singaporean students precious places in the best schools, which are funded by tax-payers? Are the tax-payers paying for these scholarships, or is this funded by private donors? Is the govt tracking the economic benefits of giving out scholarships to these foreign students?

If we do not take top students from around the world to our schools, how do we keep our schools at the top?
Yeah, Singaporeans only, top in Singapore, but 2nd rate world wide, what's the point?
It seems very short-sighted to me. Don't you want our top students to be competing against the best in the world? Sharing and learning?

to add on :

I hope my kids will be their classmates.

if they stay in SG, good for SG talent pool even if my kids were to \"lose\" to them in competition

if they go back to their home countries, there will be opportunities in future for my kids to call on them through work etc etc be it in gov't or in private sector ... immediately the alumni network kicks in and you are one up on your other competitors without such network

if my kids are in gov't service and those scholars returned to their countries also in gov't service, it will help to open doors and ease communication and diplomatic relationship between countries (read Obama and Netanyahu)

Singapore is not just red dot, it is a tiny dot. We need all the friends in and out of singapore. Better if they have been classmates and chit-chatted nonsense under the stars in bishan or bukit timah or jurong hill or tanjong rhu etc etc[/quote]Me also hope tat... at least hope my kids can be motivated by their attitude of study hard[/quote]

Indeed... My child is only 4. But even in his little world (come on, he doesn't understand much of the news/newspapers/current affairs and his social circle is retracted to his pals in cc/enrichment schools), but he is benefiting from the FT. His mandarin is crispy sharp (even for a 4yr old), peppers his conversation with cheng yu he has learnt from his Chinese (from china) teachers and Chinese (from china) friends. If there is only local influence, I think my child is more kang dang (potato) than he is now.but having said this, I don't want too much of ******* into our little island. I may be biased, but I believe my child picks this up from them - squats along the road side with his elbows resting on his knee caps :slapshead: The good thing is he only does it once because mummy forbids him to squat around anymore...

If I may put it this way - I like FT the way I like pepper in my food, a bit will do. If the 'side effect' (like squatting) is minimal and I like the enhancement it can bring (e.g. Better command of Chinese language), then I will like it like the sugar in my coffee (kopi c kar dai). But I don't feel comfortable to have FT to be as common as signs (road signs, exit signs, no smoking signs) in our shore - too overwhelming....

[corneyAmber]

Just for discussion sake, we have had many Malaysians in our midst for the longest time and yet I hardly hear the issue. In fact they dominated the workplace and they are everywhere. Why no issue?

[Oppsgal]

ksi:

Just for discussion sake, we have had many Malaysians in our midst for the longest time and yet I hardly hear the issue. In fact they dominated the workplace and they are everywhere. Why no issue?

Maybe is our neighboring country? Actually I have a few friends who are from there. No issue so far...

[Way2GO]

verykiasu2010:

3Boys:

If we do not take top students from around the world to our schools, how do we keep our schools at the top?
Yeah, Singaporeans only, top in Singapore, but 2nd rate world wide, what's the point?
It seems very short-sighted to me. Don't you want our top students to be competing against the best in the world? Sharing and learning?

to add on :

I hope my kids will be their classmates.

if they stay in SG, good for SG talent pool even if my kids were to \"lose\" to them in competition

if they go back to their home countries, there will be opportunities in future for my kids to call on them through work etc etc be it in gov't or in private sector ... immediately the alumni network kicks in and you are one up on your other competitors without such network

if my kids are in gov't service and those scholars returned to their countries also in gov't service, it will help to open doors and ease communication and diplomatic relationship between countries (read Obama and Netanyahu)

Singapore is not just red dot, it is a tiny dot. We need all the friends in and out of singapore. Better if they have been classmates and chit-chatted nonsense under the stars in bishan or bukit timah or jurong hill or tanjong rhu etc etc

While d idea isto raise standards by keen n stronger competition n future networking is gud,
anecdoctal evidence n d reality revealed by MOS (IIRC) in parliament 2012 showed dat
SG is not getting d best foreign students into SG. No fish, prawn also can.
Some of these students r 2 – 3 years older than SG students at d same level. D SG students do catch up with these foreign headstart when they progress thro’Pre-U n university levels. According to MOE records, many of these foreign scholars did not meet d requirements of 2nd Class Upper in local Us – so I conclude we r definitely not getting d best.
It’s a numbers game – we r paying for a sizable pool every year (2000+ at last reckoning) n d gahmen is hoping we will get some gems who will stay as citizens to continue to serve. But I think we r getting more chaff than gems, who make use of SG generosity as a stepping stone. Many students don’t return to SG after graduation n d gahmen has begun to track students going overseas.

[Way2GO]

ksi:

Just for discussion sake, we have had many Malaysians in our midst for the longest time and yet I hardly hear the issue. In fact they dominated the workplace and they are everywhere. Why no issue?

d Malaysian minorities, esp d Chinese, hv blended well.
Our historical backgrounds r similar, no huge cultural disparity there.
But many of them too took advantage of working n living here as PRs,
which was as gud as SG citizenship without its obligations.
This issue of PR was raised many a times n in d aftermath of GE 2011,
d gahmen adjusted some policies to emphasize d benefits of citizenship over PR.

[Snow Crystal]

ksi:

Just for discussion sake, we have had many Malaysians in our midst for the longest time and yet I hardly hear the issue. In fact they dominated the workplace and they are everywhere. Why no issue?

They are very similar to us. They don't complain about curry, they don't spit on floor, they rem red lights =stop, quite a number of them are second class citizens in their country so they are humble and don't berate Singaporeans or call us dogs, they come from kampongs and want their kids to study WITH our kids and not against our kids, they do not hanker after our branded pri schs and they are happy to go to whatever neighbourhood schools they get. We have lived with them for many years and many of our relatives and even parents/grandparents come from Malaysia ...no major problem.

[corneyAmber]

Oppsgal:

ksi:

Just for discussion sake, we have had many Malaysians in our midst for the longest time and yet I hardly hear the issue. In fact they dominated the workplace and they are everywhere. Why no issue?

Maybe is our neighboring country? Actually I have a few friends who are from there. No issue so far...

So proximity and being similar makes the assimilation more seamless with the Malaysians.

[corneyAmber]

Way2GO:

ksi:

Just for discussion sake, we have had many Malaysians in our midst for the longest time and yet I hardly hear the issue. In fact they dominated the workplace and they are everywhere. Why no issue?

d Malaysian minorities, esp d Chinese, hv blended well.
Our historical backgrounds r similar, no huge cultural disparity there.
But many of them too took advantage of working n living here as PRs,
which was as gud as SG citizenship without its obligations.
This issue of PR was raised many a times n in d aftermath of GE 2011,
d gahmen adjusted some policies to emphasize d benefits of citizenship over PR.

Yes, the issues of PR and citizens issues have been slowly addressed.
So again being culturally similar helps, i.e. if the govt tries to attract more Malaysians instead of PRCs to come, we will have lesser issues?

[corneyAmber]

Snow Crystal:

ksi:

Just for discussion sake, we have had many Malaysians in our midst for the longest time and yet I hardly hear the issue. In fact they dominated the workplace and they are everywhere. Why no issue?

They are very similar to us. They don't complain about curry, they don't spit on floor, they rem red lights =stop, quite a number of them are second class citizens in their country so they are humble and don't berate Singaporeans or call us dogs, they come from kampongs and want their kids to study WITH our kids and not against our kids, they do not hanker after our branded pri schs and they are happy to go to whatever neighbourhood schools they get. We have lived with them for many years and many of our relatives and even parents/grandparents come from Malaysia ...no major problem.

It is rather unanimous so far that we are looking for similar type of people to join us. In other words, we do not reject the idea of foreigners but there must be cultural similarities for us to co-exist more seamlessly?

However, I am still a little puzzled in one area. I always find that Singaporeans are the most tolerant people in the world as we are good as a multi-racial country. If we can live harmoniously with people who are vastly and culturally different with strongly established history of their race, how come similar race can be so tough? Are there other reasons than just cultural? :?

[corneyAmber]

Just to address a point raised by Chief, are we proud of Singapore? I suppose I am guilty in the department of ignorance. Apart from the major known works done by our govt internationally, I am rather ignorant of the famous people of Singapore and their famous works. Perhaps I can start a thread of the people we can be proud of for their international contribution and collate to educate ourselves why we should be proud of our Singapore?