Disclaimer: This is a long blog post and somewhat unrelated to the competition scope. Not so much the intellectual stuff posted so far, but more emotional and sentimental content. Do hope you could spend 5 mins reading what I have to share.
Most of us here at this Amoeba Challenge share a similar background with me - being raised in a comfortable and fortunate family. I enjoyed good education in my formative primary and secondary school year, and went on to RJC for another 2 quality years. In such a sheltered and privileged environment, everything is easy and rosy; the world seems all good and nice. "Hot-button issues" that we see plastered over newspapers on the influx of foreign talent, lack of suitable jobs and the practical difficulties faced by lesser educated citizens feel foreign to us. After all, we don't face and encounter them in our daily lives. With our social interactions confined to our educated social circle, we probably don't see the 'less educated, less fortunate' side of Singapore.
That was how I was in my civilian persona. Not indifferent, but just lacking the additional touch of empathy.
When Wee Khiang earlier shared on human capital and education in Singapore, it stirred up deep feelings I have developed across my National Service stint. There, I serve as a Staff Officer and have 20 guys under my charge. These 20 guys are medically unfit to be combat soldiers, and thus serve in the capacity of a store man, but as a person, they are nothing less than the average Singaporean on the streets. The short 4 months I have spent with them threw everything I had previously experienced out of the window.
If you would bear with me, I will embark on a short journey into the lives of some of my guys; their stories might inspire and trigger some thoughts from you.
1. John, now 20, has spent his past year studying for his O'Levels. He is planning to take the exams at the end of this year, and has been working hard for it. So far, his hard work has not borne results as he still struggles with the topics of the O'Level Science subject. Mind you, most of us eased through O'Levels without having to take them due to the Through Train system.
2. Peter has a major depression problem. He has a higher NITEC certificate, and for those who did not catch that in the earlier sharing, its a certificate from ITE. He has been going for counseling and psychiatrist sessions for the past year, and has even been warded for a week due to his depression issues. He does not know what to look forward to in life beyond army, and believes that the whole society hates him.
3. Jack was retained twice in kindergarten (K1). Believe I don't need to say anything further about him. He can hardly converse fluently, even in his preferred mother tongue. Somewhat socially awkward, it is easy to see why he struggles to fit in socially. Recalling one fond memory, he cried twice when I chatted with him nicely once, for reasons still unknown.
4. Tom has a gambling problem. He is seven thousand in debt, due to him clicking one too many times on an online casino website. Using half his current meagre salary to pay off his debts, he will finish his NS liability still $3000 in debt. With the dragons and skulls pasted all over his body, and his PSLE certificate, one wonders the kind of employment he can seek in our current society.
5. Ben and Jerry have N'Levels certificates, but struggles to understand simple English. Coupled with severe health issues (one with a thyroid problem, the other with kidney issues), there doesn't seem to be many jobs for them in our present society.
What I just described is a simple snapshot of the lesser privileged of my 20 guys. These are real people, people whom I work with and face on a daily basis. These guys are sons of their parents, members of our society, and citizens of our country.
When Wee Khiang talked about creating jobs, my thoughts strayed to these guys. Listening to you guys discussing about new budding industries with well-paying jobs in cosy offices for the well educated, I worry for them. But if you and I don't think of these less educated and underprivileged in our society, who will?
I do believe in education, and not handouts. After all, the quote goes "Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, you feed him a lifetime." My rational mind shouts out for education as the "comprehensive solution", but my heart bleeds and begs to differ.
So what does your mind, and your heart tell you?
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