This LESSON IS ABOUT....

YOU...

YOUR FUTURE EDUCATION, CAREER PATH, DREAMS & LIFE!

Back in 2014....

The PM NATIONAL DAY RALLY 2014: Straits TImes reports:

Mr Lee delivered his 10th National Day Rally (NDR) speech at the Institute of Technical Education's new Ang Mo Kio campus for a serious purpose: "To underscore my longstanding commitment to investing in every person, every Singaporean to his full potential... to signal a change... to improve opportunities for ITE and polytechnic students and help match their skills with the right jobs... must (also) continue to have top secondary schools, but they should admit more than the brightest students". He feels that these will help combat global changes and income inequality,

1) Summarise TWO .... (what summary question might you create here?) (3)

2) Identify a phrase that suggests that these changes will, sooner or later, surely come? - (Hint: the phrase (...) proves that (changes will sooner or later surely come - para?)

3) Identify a phrase that suggests that the location chosen for PM Lee's speech was well-intended - (*Hint: (...) proves that (the location chosen is well-intended - para?).

4) What kind of global changes is he talking about? (*Hint: think C-Map Human Nature, Philo ideas, Big Ideas, Forces, Policies, different Aspects...)

5) What does he mean by "...."? (which phrase might you pick here to test your friend?) Answer in own words as far as possible.

Now... Fast-Forward back to .... 2015:

"KIDS.... SKIP UNIVERSITY!"

TODAY Newspaper: "Good luck with that!"

Let's study the TODAYONLINE Article:

(modified from http://m.todayonline.com/worldcup/singapore/singapore-wants-kids-skip-university-good-luck)

PAP: We want kids to skip university!

TODAY Newspaper: Good luck with that!

AQ:

The author of TodayOnline wrote that though the Singapore Government thinks that doing away with University Degrees is beneficial for us and country today, he has his reservations on how well it will work and how well it will be received. How far do you agree with his view? Answer using the text and your own experiences.

a) What is the POC?

b) What is the Author's stand for POC?

c) What type of article is this? What are we looking for?: Reasons why...

d) What are the Templates for Answers then:

In this modern world, where the modern day lingua franca and principle to better life is money, power and greed, workers are seen as nothing more than tools for the economy and capitalist system. Some might argue – is it really undesirable to see people that way? After all, at least some countries have been developing at break-neck speed, some economies are thriving and people are more or less happy. To keep up with the changing face of capitalism, many leaders are opting for a radical shift away from the paper, and onto the service and production lines, where the real money can be made. The players remain the same, but the career routes have been changed. And all this is done in the name of capitalism.

1) Identify the phrase that suggests that the author does not really agree with the modern day lingua franca and principle of money, power and greed, and is being sarcastic when he says he does? (1m) : Use this template to see which answer fits best: "(...) proves that (he does not agree with this modern day idea)?").

2) Group Create! - Create any one question (with answers) for your opponents to answer:

- Direct Literal (Use your own words)

- Interpretive (What does the author mean?)

- Metaphor (Explain what the metaphor/phrase '..insert metaphor...' mean?)

- Pick a word/phrase question (Pick the word/phrase that suggests that (....))

PM Lee Hsien Loong is one of those leaders. He has been trying to persuade Singaporeans that University is not the way to go. After a clampdown on immigration and a slowdown in the economy, he says the country needs fewer graduates who do not end up doing crucial jobs and more shipyard, factory and hotel workers. Subsidising the local graduates can be costly too. Moreover, he is also trying to stem the tide of “reckless university enrolment” and any unwelcomed unemployment rates. This idea is not a new one - it is a system modelled on Germany's apprenticeship system, where graduates of technical schools are placed into jobs and 'earn and learn' at the same time. But it is one that experts have argued to be crucial in the reshaping the labour force for future economic success.

3) Summarise ... (what summary question might you create from this para)? (3m)

But this is easier said than done. Tiger mums are fast becoming a headache for PM Lee. Traditional and conservative Asian women still believe that to get a higher salary, one needs a university degree.

4) Why are tiger mums 'fast becoming a headache for PM Lee'? Answer using your own words as far as possible (2m)

5) What does the author mean by 'Tiger mums are fast becoming a headache'? (2m)

6) Group Create! - Create any one question (with answers) for your opponents to answer:

- Direct Literal (Use your own words)

- Interpretive (What does the author mean?)

- Metaphor (Explain what the metaphor/phrase '..insert metaphor...' mean?)

- Pick a word/phrase question (Pick the word/phrase that suggests that (....))

For decades, Singapore has been extolling the importance of education. And for as long as I can recall, Singaporeans have clamoured for a degree. In recent times, six out of 10 Singaporeans between 25 and 29 years old completed tertiary education, the highest proportion in the world and just ahead of South Korea, according to the latest World Bank figures from 2010. Even the Ministry of Manpower has said that a four-year electrical engineering degree could earn S$3,135 in 2013, compared with S$1,750 for those who studied the same subject at a technical institute. Though a bonus of $5,000 will be given to any Singaporean who is placed in the programme, the sum is too small to catch any fish. Let us not forget too that every member of the cabinet has a degree, and the civil service continues to offer students – which includes their children – full scholarships to top colleges overseas as a form of recruitment. In the end, Singaporeans will definitely not follow the system unless they can promised the same job opportunities as a graduate, which the majority believe will not happen.

7) Summarise... (what summary question might you create from this para)? (4m)

8)

AQ:

The author of TodayOnline wrote that though the Singapore Government thinks that doing away with University Degrees is beneficial for us and country today, he has his reservations on how well it will work and how well it will be received. How far do you agree with his views? Answer using the text and your own experiences. (10m)

9) REFLECTION & EVALUATION: (5m)

Guiding Questions:

On a personal level, how do you feel about being told not to go university? Is a salary all that matters to you?

On a social, political and ethical level, is this form of social engineering done by PAP (fitting students into certain job sectors) justifiable? Will Singaporeans be happy with this? What about the extremely poor in other countries? What will become of them?

If justifiable, explain why so? If unjust, what then do you propose should be done?

10) YOUR RESPONSE TO FORUM RESPONSES:

Study each response below. Explain WHY you will choose to support or rebut it?

*scoring based on how well support or rebuttals are done to each argument

You may use this list to identify which flaw is present or absent in the forum responses, to help you in your rebuttal or support of each argument:

WEAK ARG: FLAWS SEEN

STRONG ARG: FLAWS AVOIDED

1. Overgeneralisation

1. Specific context - no overgeneralisation

2. Logical flaw

2. Extremely logical argument

3. Ethically and Pragmatically unsound

3. Ethically and Pragmatically sound

4. Wrong understanding of word in Context

4. Accurate use of word in Context

5. Abusive language or analogy

5. Objectively argued and supported with clear and relevant facts, without the use of abusive language, italics, analogy, authority, history, threat and danger, or omission of crucial facts or alternatives

6. Italics

6.

7. Analogy

7.

8. From Authority

8.

9. From History

9.

10. Omission of crucial, real world facts

10.

11. Threat or Danger

11.

12. Omission of other Alternatives & Consequences

12.

· SAMPLE 1:

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Joanna Colodin Hughes · Part-time Deputy Editor at ACP Magazines Hong Kong

They can't have it both ways.

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 · 21 hours ago

Your Response:

(*Insert: This argument mostly fails due to (....). (I can see why it might be difficult to imagine Singapore having graduates earning well and being happy, as well as non-graduates being upgraded and earning just as much and being happy at the same time. But (...your Main Reason for Rebuttal...) (*go back to beginning and insert your reason the opponent's argument fails?). (Any Evidence?)

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Jason Ting · Singapore

"The median starting salary for electrical engineering graduates was S$3,135 compared with S$1,750 for those who studied the same subject at a technical institute" 

How to convince people when the statistics show otherwise?

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 · 9 · 23 hours ago

Your RESPONSE: ?

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Johnny Singh · Project Manager at WorleyParsons

I think the message is for us to consider the future...while the salary speaks today, will this offer go on forever? I'm an expat, the Aussies, Americans, etc still respect knowledge and hands-on. This will also be the case for China and South East Asia, there's only that much management can offer

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 · 1 · 5 hours ago

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Cynefrid Pua · Singapore

Johnny Singh We have reached a stage where degree holder are doing hands on.. no more management.. but people are still paying higher for degree holder to do hands on than technical institute pple

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 · about an hour ago

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Chan Kwong Keet · Works at The Vitamin Outlet Forrestfield

At the end, foreign talent will be taking all the top spots and true Singaporean will become the workers. We should be encouraging true Singaporean get study well and get to to the top spots and continue to use foreign talents for the lower level job. Then we can have happy citizens and stable society.

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 · 7 · 18 hours ago

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David Wee · Internship atPeter Low LLC

Good observation sir. Indeed we have the local talent to fill those top spots however we still need foreign workers to fill the menial labour which locals may be less willing to take.

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 · 7 · 16 hours ago

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Calvin Ng Chun Kiat ·President at Nanyang Technological University Graduate Student Council

the top spot constitute around 10% of the workforce while the lower level jobs 90%. if we are pushing for your idea, then 10% of the population will be Singaporeans while 90% foreigners. would you want that to happen?

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 · about an hour ago

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May Kwan · Westlake Secondary School

She will change her mind if something were to happen to her child. If you pressure your child too much and they cannot take the pressure, you will end up losing your child forever. I have heard of a few incident that the kid committed suicide. Children in this century are very fragile.

Parents please monitor your children and see if they can take the pressure, please dont push them too far. Not everybody can be doctors and lawyers.

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 · 2 · 16 hours ago

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Dennis Heath · Singapore

I think it's refreshing that finally there is more than one route to career success in Singapore. A degree might get you an interview for your first job but that's all. Whether you succeed or not is much more about how well you communicate, your attitude to your work and your colleagues, your ability to get along with others and the degree to which you use your initiative.

Like many others in my country of birth I left school at 16 to take up a technical apprenticeship, later moving to a commercial career path and finishing my corporate career as a Regional Director of a software company. I now have my own successful Executive Coaching practice. A number of my friends took the same path and now hold senior management positions in MNCs.

There is a new recognition in Singapore that, for instance, when an aircraft cannot leave the gate because it has a technical fault it doesn't matter how many degree holders are on that plane it is the avionics technician that is the smart one. He has the skill and knowledge to fix a problem where the academic is completely clueless. We need these skilled and clever people. They are definitely not second class workers but essential to the smooth running of daily life and the economy.

Not everyone enjoys academia. Some are more excited about getting hands-on experience and perhaps following a passion. Now they will have new opportunities.

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 · 1 · 6 hours ago

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Soh YouYou

But the skilled aviation technician isnt paid higher than those degree holders.. Govt needs to ensure the ground workers (ppl who solve issues that are tricky and very impt at hand) are rewarded handsomely, then it shows the importance of this particular employee...

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 · 5 hours ago

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Johnny Singh · Project Manager atWorleyParsons

There needs to be a balance between practical experience and the paper chase. It's really difficult to understand and appreciate technical skills without going through the motion. We're stuffed if we do not teach these technical knowledge to the generations to come. I'm a fully qualified Electrical Engineer, diploma in Mechanical....but the coursework I enjoyed the most was welding because it was practical and I could relay to it.

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 · 5 hours ago

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John Kemp ·  Top Commenter ·Driver at USAirways

"you can't get milk from a sour's ear".Should rephrase those who deserve to go uni must go.The other's need not..

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 · 23 hours ago

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Estelle Ho

"deserve"? Deserve based on what? Money? Resources? Network? Talent or grades? I think our meritocracy is starting to become a competition of wealth and resources as stated in the article, " Singapore households spent S$1.1 billion on tutors outside school..."

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 · 6 · 22 hours ago

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John Kemp ·  Top Commenter · Driver atUSAirways

Estelle Ho based on 'brains'. Ah Bengs /Ah Lians with SIM degrees how are theydoing..?Bottom lne they don't want blue-collar to get dud degrees.

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 · 1 · Edited ·21 hours ago

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Victor Vong · Southern Pacific University

Estelle, there is no evidence that one has to be rich to go to a local university. There are many scholarships available for students from low income families, provided they work hard to achieve the necessary academic criteria.

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 · 18 hours ago

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John Kemp ·  Top Commenter · Driver atUSAirways

Social engineering Singapore style.

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 · 16 hours ago