Sha'ari bin Tadin
Singapore
“To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what was the rationale for closing up the opening in the divider, instead of installing traffic signals, at the New Upper Changi Road/Bedok South Avenue 1 junction, and is the Minister aware that the closure has resulted in (i) curtailment of bus services 31 and 401; and (ii) congestion of…”
“To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether there are plans to construct an overhead bridge at New Upper Changi Road near the Bedok Sports Complex, when the work will commence and when it is expected to be completed; and (b) whether his Ministry will look into the possibility of installing a signalised pedestrian crossing acr…”
“Sir, thank you for allowing me to speak. First of all, I would like to support the views expressed by the Member for Kim Song. Earlier we were talking a lot about the problems of the aged, and I am afraid I have to bring this up again. The Singapore Sports Council, Sir, has been successfully pursuing the Sports for All policy since 1973.”
“I feel that it is the responsibility of everyone involved in sports to continuously educate people on crowd behaviour and to stifle excesses. We must always acknowledge and cheer good play on both sides whether it comes from the victor or the vanquished. Crowd outbursts can contribute a major danger to sport.”
“Sometimes they have to carry cash and they are afraid that they might be confronted by robbers. I do not know whether the Minister would be able to enlighten us on this policy of building special car parks for lorries and buses only, and whether there is any possibility of complying with the special request of these lorry drivers.”
“According to my way of thinking, it is time the SBC began planning with the objective of becoming more than just a vehicle presenting syndicated programmes from abroad, collecting revenue from advertisements, thus trying to survive at a level little better than an ordinary broadcasting medium.”
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“To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether there are plans to construct an overhead bridge at New Upper Changi Road near the Bedok Sports Complex, when the work will commence and when it is expected to be completed; and (b) whether his Ministry will look into the possibility of installing a signalised pedestrian crossing across New Upper Changi Road in the vicinity of the Changi Theatre.”
“To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what was the rationale for closing up the opening in the divider, instead of installing traffic signals, at the New Upper Changi Road/Bedok South Avenue 1 junction, and is the Minister aware that the closure has resulted in (i) curtailment of bus services 31 and 401; and (ii) congestion of city-bound traffic along New Upper Changi Road; and (b) whether his Ministry will consider making an opening in the divider along New Upper Changi Road opposite Apartment Block 24, so as to enable motorists from the city to turn right into the car park at Block 24 or to make a U-turn.”
“Sir, thank you for allowing me to speak. First of all, I would like to support the views expressed by the Member for Kim Song. Earlier we were talking a lot about the problems of the aged, and I am afraid I have to bring this up again. The Singapore Sports Council, Sir, has been successfully pursuing the Sports for All policy since 1973. Its programme has been in the main geared for youths and the able-bodied, I would like to suggest that they now also look into the possibility of coming up with a few programmes specially for senior citizens.”
“The Social Welfare Department will also recommend that homes for the aged be granted the status of "an institution of public character", if such homes are run on a charitable basis and conform with the guidelines of the Department on the minimum standards of care. Financial assistance to the homes run by voluntary organisations will continue to be given by way of Public Assistance allowance to residents of such homes. As at February this year, a total of 530 residents in these voluntary homes received the allowances at current rates. Mr Speaker, Sir, I fully agree with the hon. Member that homes for the aged should not just look after the physical needs of the residents. They should also provide social, recreational and other activities to enable the residents to lead a normal life. This is exactly the position in our Homes for the Aged today, where both indoor and outdoor recreational programmes are provided. Indoor activities include the making of handicrafts, reading, watching television, listening to radio, playing chess and so on. We even allow mahjongg to be played. Dr Augustine H.H. Tan (Whampoa): Encouraging gambling!”
“This is in line with my Ministry's policy, naM31y, the aged should be encouraged to live within the community instead of living in some remote institutions. In the last two years, the Social Welfare Department has managed to promote the setting up of 11 community homes for the aged in Housing Board estates. The Department is also encouraging voluntary welfare groups to set up homes to cater for the chronic sick. The hon. Member for Serangoon Gardens also wants to know the kind of assistance the Government can give towards the establishment of homes for the aged which are not sited in HDB estates. Sir, the nature of Government's assistance depends on the nature of the problem. Let me quote two examples, First, the Sree Narayana Mission wanted to start a Home for the Aged Sick. The Social Welfare Department helped the Mission in leasing the reverted properties at Blocks 87 and 89, Canberra Road, from the Commissioner of Lands to establish the Sree Narayana Mission Home for the Aged Sick. 3.00 p.m. In another instance, when the Home for the Aged Sick in Payoh Lai, off Upper Serangoon Road, was affected by a major development scheme, the Social Welfare Department successfully made representations to the Ministry of National Development for the Home to remain at the site and to be integrated with the redevelopment programme. Yet another example, Sir, is the Ling Kwang Home for the Aged which, I believe, is to be set up in Ang Mo Kio by the Bible Presbyterian Welfare Services, In this case my Ministry sought the assistance of the HDB to undertake the clearance of squatters at the site for the proposed Home.”
“The society we produce will be a lonely one indeed if we do not seek to fathom and understand what loneliness is. In helping to ease the problem of loneliness of the aged we are, in effect, helping ourselves, The Acting Minister for Social Affairs (Dr Ahmad Mattar): Sir, let me first reply to the hon. Member for Serangoon Gardens. My Ministry's thinking on the care of the aged is that, as far as possible, they should be looked after by their own children. Children who have the means to look after their own aged parents should be encouraged to do so, so that only the aged destitutes or those who for financial reasons cannot live with their children can be allowed to be accommodated in the homes for the aged. Sir, based on the number of requests received by my Ministry, there seems to be a trend these days for the old folks to be abandoned by their children. Hon. Members in this House will agree with me that this practice would have been unthinkable among the older generation. We must, therefore, shame the younger generation, particularly those who have the means, into abandoning their aged parents in old folks' homes. We must fight this trend. We must reinforce our Confucianist, Islamic, Hindu or Christian ethics and encourage the extended family system unless, as I have stated earlier, financial circumstances are such that the children just cannot look after their aged parents. As for the building of more homes for the aged, my Ministry plans to build one more home for the aged. At this point of time, the plan is still in its embryonic stage. In the meantime, the Government will continue to encourage community groups to set up homes for the aged within housing estates.”
“For one thing, our moral and traditional values are not exactly the same as those of the Westerners. In the West there is a built-in response to the problem of old age. The parents take care of themselves. Here, being Asians, we have not arrived at that stage. Yet I personally feel that we should not follow them, if by doing so we have to sacrifice part of our traditional values of preserving the family unit. I would like to propose that a campaign be mounted in the schools and other institutions to promote the concept of care and concern for one's elders among the young. A trust fund should also be set up by working members of the family for the non-working aged in their care. This could be a token contribution. It can be made compulsory, and the check-off system can be employed to siphon off a small percentage of their earnings towards this fund. As I have said earlier, Sir, going by the projected figures which I have just quoted, we can expect bigger and more acute problems looming in the years ahead. In view of this, I feel that the Ministry of Social Affairs should take the lead in tackling these problems. At present the Ministry does not have a unit or division that deals with problems relating to the aging or the aged. I would like to suggest, therefore, that a Gerontology Unit be established by the Ministry to look into all aspects and problems of the aged and to make a research into the problems of old folks, One of its terms of reference should be to guide and coordinate the efforts of both Government and private organisations to ensure that there is the least duplication and maximum impact. Sir, these measures should be implemented at the earliest possible moment.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, according to statistics released at a recent seminar on The Aging and the Aged, Singapore will have over 192,000 people aged 60 years and over by 1985. This number will increase to about 233,000 by 1990. At present we have an estimated 169,000 people who are over 60 years old. Already, problems associated with old age are surfacing at a regular rate and organisations like the Singapore Action Group of Elders (SAGE), the Housing and Development Board and the People's Association which recently announced schemes for retirees, are doing their part to help solve some of these problems. Organisations like SAGE, which cater for the needs of our senior citizens, are at most stop-gap measures but it will be sagacious for the aged to be looked after by the family in the long run. I am not advocating the concept that the Government should wash its hands of the business and leave the senior citizens to their own plight, for the Government has still an effective role to play in caring for them. It has been estimated that by 1985 we would have a population of some 192,000 who would be above 60 years of age. Apart from it being a financial burden on the Government, there will not even be enough land to build all the needed homes to house these unfortunate people. What is urgently required at present is the promotion of the concept that the care of the aged must rest more and more on the family unit in our society. If this concept can be successfully promoted, then we shall arrive at a stage when the aged will not be discarded by the younger set just because they have outlived their usefulness. Sir, we may need Western technology, but we must fight against the total Westernisation of our minds and our responsibilities.”
“Sometimes they have to carry cash and they are afraid that they might be confronted by robbers. I do not know whether the Minister would be able to enlighten us on this policy of building special car parks for lorries and buses only, and whether there is any possibility of complying with the special request of these lorry drivers.”
“Sir, I would like to make two small complaints to the Hon. Minister. One is the construction of a petrol kiosk along Bedok South Avenue 1. I have received complaints from the residents of Block 23 that the construction work has been creating noise pollution. I thought that in the past we had agreed that the Member of Parliament concerned should first be informed of any development or construction of any project that was going to take place in his constituency. In this particular instance, I knew nothing about it and when the residents came to complain to me I had to tell them that this had nothing to do with the Member of Parliament and that the Housing and Development Board had a right to do whatever they liked with their piece of land. Sir, I hope in future the Hon. Minister would at least inform the Member of Parliament of projects that are going to take place in his constituency. The other complaint that I have received is from some lorry drivers who are living in Blocks 201 and 202 of Bedok Town Centre. They complained that they were not allowed to park their lorries in the car parks within their blocks of flats. I understand the HDB is now planning to have a special car park for lorries and buses at Blocks 510 and 539. I would like to know from the Minister whether this plan is going to be implemented. The complaint is that the lorry owners have to walk about nearly a kilometre to the car park from the place where they are living, and this has caused a lot of inconvenience to them. I would like to know whether the Minister would consider allowing them - there are only about four or five of them - to park their lorries nearer to their blocks of flats. The reason given is that these lorry drivers have to wake up early in the morning at about 2 or 3 a.m.”
“I feel that it is the responsibility of everyone involved in sports to continuously educate people on crowd behaviour and to stifle excesses. We must always acknowledge and cheer good play on both sides whether it comes from the victor or the vanquished. Crowd outbursts can contribute a major danger to sport. When crowd reaction originates in local patriotism, fierce nationalism or racialism, it can lead to the worst excesses and completely spoil an event by generating a climate of violence and hatred. There is certainly no place for fanaticism in sports in Singapore, or for that matter, anywhere else in the world. When fanaticism is unleashed, sports is at its ugliest!”
“In this case they were the Chinese since the Indonesians by right are the reigning world champions in badminton. However, a significant point to note is that the home-crowd, particularly the section of the crowd that was most vocal, did not heckle or intimidate the players. On no occasion was play ever hold up because of crowd intervention. The confrontation was not between the Singapore crowd and the Indonesian players but between the section of the Singapore crowd supporting the Indonesians and the section supporting the Chinese in a face,to-face situation across the gallery. To my mind, this "vocalization" and dramatization cannot be considered unethical. Of course, I agree fully with the views expressed in this House that such reaction could lead to misunderstanding by the other side. Among other things, the Singapore crowd was controllable, sensible and responsible. It responded spontaneously to the umpire's appeal for calm and silence during critical stages of the contest, thus appreciating the need for a conducive environment for the players to give of their best. Various people react to our crowd behaviour in different ways. Perhaps the most down-to-earth remark was made by the Vice-President of KONI (Indonesian National Olympic Committee) General Suprayogi when he readily acknowledged in a press statement in Jakarta that "in sports there is bound to be heckling whether we like it or not." As a result of the heat generated from discussions on the Singapore crowd behaviour, I would like to call upon all sports promotion agencies in Singapore to make the masses understand, through their educational programmes, what true sportsmanship and spectator ethics are.”
“Sir, I would like to take part in this debate. I share all the sentiments expressed by Members on this question of a Singaporean identity and nation-building process. I would like to touch on a small point and that is on crowd behaviour. Sir, before we level any criticism at the behaviour of the Singapore crowd at the recent China-Indonesia badminton friendly match, We must understand some of the sociological factors underlying general crowd reaction in sports events. I observe that there is always a tendency for crowds anywhere to cheer the underdogs in a match. Spectators will always take sides for personal, group, racial, local patriotic, or national reasons. Of course, the involvement in taking sides varies from time to time, venue to venue, country to country, depending on the competitive climate at the time. To a certain extent the publicity given to a certain Sports event by the mass media also influences crowd behaviour. Sir, I do not find the behaviour of the Singapore badminton crowd during the two nights of the badminton match that obnoxious as to deserve an outright condemnation. I think, generally, our Singapore sports crowd is quite discerning for our level of literacy. It is generally fair and will cheer the deserving player or team for the display of skills. Compared to crowds in other countries, even developed countries, our crowd is non-violent. And this alone deserves our praise. Allow me to briefly analyse the crowd behaviour at the Singapore Badminton Hall, at least on the first night in question where I was present as a spectator. The behaviour of the home crowd, though boisterous, was not altogether out of place in an event charged with so much tension and excitement. Singapore spectators tend to support the underdogs in any tournament.”
“According to my way of thinking, it is time the SBC began planning with the objective of becoming more than just a vehicle presenting syndicated programmes from abroad, collecting revenue from advertisements, thus trying to survive at a level little better than an ordinary broadcasting medium.”
“In the same manner, and if I may add, the SBC could, in charting its course for the future, set its sights higher and be innovative enough to meet the challenge of satisfying the need for Singaporeans to know and understand better the land and the peoples of ASEAN, thereby fostering a greater appreciation of the traditions, the cultures, the hopes and aspirations, the values held, and even the problems of the future shared to a greater or lesser extent between ourselves in Singapore and our ASEAN neighbours. I am not saying that all this is easy to do. But the SBC can begin its journey of a thousand kilometres by taking the first step of giving its staff the training and experience, and the chance to experiment, in the production of films on the sights and sounds, the history, the many facets of our culture, and our traditions, which are found in our Republic. After a period of experimentation, and when the staff could manage to produce programmes which are documentary in nature but entertaining in their approach, the staff could then go on to more ambitious undertakings, such as the production of programmes on the land, the peoples and the cultures of ASEAN. Singaporeans are avid cinema-goers. If TV programmes can be produced not so much in the manner of serious TV documentaries but more in the nature of, say, travel films of the cinema, I am sure that there will be sizable and appreciative audiences for these TV films which can not only entertain but also inform and educate at the same time. I would even venture to say that it is not inconceivable that such good interesting films could be sold to other TV stations for broadcast in the countries of ASEAN and beyond.”
“Sir, on the subject of the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, once a year broadcasting comes under the close scrutiny of Members of this House. RTS had its share of bouquets and brickbats for its achievements and short-comings. To be fair, one must concede that this young sapling, the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), holds much promise but it needs time to reach full maturity. However, now that the SBC is a statutory board and can enjoy the autonomy which RTS could not when it was a Government department, the SBC should reappraise the full potential of the broadcasting medium and look further ahead. The SBC should aim at providing programmes not merely to entertain but also to inform and educate, thus taking full advantage of the particularly powerful medium of television to reinforce and further consolidate national consciousness which Singaporeans already have in good measure, thanks to the concerted efforts made in recent years by governmental and non-governmental institutions and bodies, and, not least of all, by ordinary Singaporeans who are proud of their identity as Singaporeans. As nation building is a continuing process, the SBC has the responsibility and a very big part to play in promoting, through its programmes, those values, both traditional and contemporary, which can add to nation building.”
“Maybe we can look into restricting each family to one car and every economically active member in the family with an additional car up to a certain maximum. In this way, Sir, the control of those with cars can be a painless one without the need to increase road taxes. Finally, the Hon. Minister also said at the forum that the Ministry had set a target ratio of 12 persons to one car. At present the ratio is 16 to 1. However, I feel that taxes should not be increased as it would only cause further inflation. 3.00 p.m.”
“Sir, the present facility of providing civil servants with car loans at low interest rates and the present method of requiring only 20% down-payment for the purchase of a vehicle are encouraging people to buy cars. With increases in road taxes occurring every few years, car prices do not go down. Therefore, when the buyer struggles for three years to pay his instalments, at the end of the instalment period, he will have a car worth more than what he has paid for, in spite of having used it for three years. This encourages everyone to buy a new car. If the hire purchase terms, Sir, could be amended, say, to 80% down-payment, this will reduce the sale of cars. In Japan, before anyone can buy a car, one must have written proof that he has a garage to park his car. At present, even owners of Housing Board flats have as many as two or three cars per family, and this results in parking problems. If we insist that one can only own a car if he has a parking lot, this would control the increase in cars. Sir, the Minister, in his talk at a forum recently, pointed out that we would see improved traffic conditions next year. The East Coast Expressway will be completed; the Bukit Timah one-way traffic scheme will be completed and road traffic will improve. Surely we should wait and see if this improvement would take place before increasing road taxes. The present increase in road taxes has caused undue problems to people in the middle and lower-income groups. Many school teachers, sales representatives and construction workers need cars for their daily business and without their cars, it would hinder their work. Many families have two or three cars per family.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to take part in this debate. I have the following points to make with regard to the increase in road tax recently. Sir, the increase in the CBD area licensing fee from $4 to $5 per day for private motor vehicles and from $8 to $10 for 'Q' cars cannot be justified as, at present during the peak hours, traffic still flows smoothly into the CBD. There are no signs of congestion. In fact, if there is any increase in vehicular traffic into the CBD, it is from commercial vehicles only. I would like to know the number of CBD licences sold at the beginning of 1979, before the rise in the number of cars on the road, and at the end of December 1979 when the car population is supposed to have increased by 3%. Sir, the increase in cars is due to the fact that car purchasers now do not offer scrap cars to enjoy the PAR F, since the difference between PARF and ARF is too small, especially for cars below 1,500 cc. As company cars are not eligible for PARF, therefore most companies do not scrap their cars but continue to add to their fleet. If company cars are eligible for PARF, we are confident that the growth in 'Q' cars can be controlled. At present, the number of 'Q' cars does not show an increase because more and more owners are registering their cars for private ownership. Sir, if the increase in registration fees from $15 to $1,000 for a private car and $5,000 for a company registered vehicle is meant to restrict the growth of vehicles, then we support this increase. But existing car owners should not be penalised by paying the increase in road taxes which is extremely high for those cars between the 2000 and 3000 cc group where the increase is 40%.”
“I wonder whether the Hon, Minister would comment on the feasibility and practicability of this suggestion. Finally, Sir, this year's budget is undoubtedly the most talked-a bout budget. It has brought joy to most people. We must, however, be prepared to face and tackle the challenges ahead. In rejoicing, we must also take heed of the warning the Government has underlined. Sir, I give my full support to the motion moved by the Minister for Trade and Industry. 3.03 p.m.”
“At most, there will be marginal savings in air- conditioned premises. But fuel saved by taking thousands of cars and hundreds of buses off the roads can be considerable. There might even be an additional bonus for bus commuters who, despite the improvements in SBS services of late, still suffer from the inconvenience of too many bus breakdowns. Sir, the rationale for a non-working Saturday is really the saving of time, energy and money currently being expended on travelling to and from work. Sir, not many of us have the good fortune to live close to our work place or even have a direct bus to our destination. A two-way journey between office and home may take as much as two hours; reasonable enough if one works eight hours, but a most inefficient use of time if one's working time is only four hours. By the time most people reach home on Saturday, the better part of the day is gone. How much better it would be to work an hour or more each day during the week and be left with a full uninterrupted two-day weekend in which one could get away totally from work, and relax or engage in leisure activities such as a family gathering or even complete household chores left over during the week by the wife, thus helping to build a firmer and stronger family unit which we need badly these days. After all, the five-day week has long been the norm in most developed countries and not a few of the less developed ones. So long as the workers do not work less than the required number of 42 hours per week, I see no reason why this suggestion could not be given a try. Perhaps, Sir, a study team could be appointed to look into the details and other implications that may arise if this measure is implemented.”
“I regret to say, Sir, that there was no response publicly to my suggestion, although I was told unofficially by a PUB high ranking official that it was not a bad idea. Sir, why do I make this suggestion again this time, in this House? I think that the need is more felt now than last year and the situation will get worse in the next few years. Unless we introduce some drastic measures to conserve energy, we will be caught when the situation becomes critical. Sir, I am sure most workers will no doubt be happy to put in longer hours during the week to make up for the time lost by closing on Saturdays. There is thus, Sir, no loss of production involved and, in fact, productivity might actually go up in a five-day week. Most department heads and office managers are, after all, only too familiar with the Saturday Syndrome which affects most workers. The mood is casual and very few workers put their minds fully on their work. It would be a safe guess to say that little or real work gets accomplished on Saturdays, especially in commercial houses which in any case have less business to transact with the closing down of international dealings. Members of the public, Sir, who traditionally pay Government bills, renew licences, permits and the like on Saturdays, may find it inconvenient if all Government and statuto;y board offices are shut on Saturdays. But this is not an insurmountable problem and can be got round by naming a day in the week in which those offices dealing with the public remain open till late in the evening. Alternatively, some of these offices could keep to the existing six-day week with the officers manning the counter working on rotation on a five-day week basis. With offices switching to a five-day week, some electricity savings will accrue.”
“At the school level, individual needs exist and school-based in-service education has also to be conducted. Teachers are keen on such programmes which have more direct relevance and less inconvenient to them. Schools will need to plan and conduct such programmes drawing on whatever expertise is locally available or even available funds for the purpose as School Funds cannot be used or even if they can be are hardly adequate for the normal school programme. Sir, I would like to support the Member for Whampoa for his very strong view on the issue of energy conservation which the Hon. Minister referred to, in passing, in his Budget statement without stating the full plans for the conservation of energy efforts. The Hon. Minister remarked that oil prices would continue to rise and that we could not avoid this trend but we "can minimise its toll on our economy by stepping up energy conservation efforts and diversifying our sources of supply to reduce political risks." Sir, I would like to take up the idea which I suggested last year at a balloting ceremony that the Government should carry out a study to see whether it was feasible to close some Government departments and statutory boards on Saturdays in order to save electricity, in view of rising oil prices. I do know, Sir, that some big firms have already switched to a five-day-week, and this arrangement so far has not affected their productivity and efficiency. The working schedule could be readjusted so that the maximum of a 42-hour week could be spread over a five-day week instead of five and a half day week as at present. I suggested then that the PUB should consider conducting comparative studies in terms of electricity consumption with other countries before such a suggestion was adopted.”
“There is need, however, for principals to be periodically briefed on the thinking and emphasis of HQ, to come into contact with senior HQ officers, to obtain clarification direct from them, to get to know them and their thinking, and also to find out how principals are faring and adjusting to changes, problems encountered, etc. There used to be provision for all these through residential and non-residential seminars for principals. Perhaps either through reviving them or by some other means a more formal direct communication link can be established. 5. Moral Education It has been sufficiently publicised that steps are being taken to develop syllabuses and textbooks for moral education. Much of the reinforcing, however, will have to come from a deliberately structured school programme of varied activities. Coupled with this there must be a programme to cultivate leadership traits, group spirit, a sense of respect and responsibility, etc. The teaching curriculum, however, is so rigid that there appears to be little scope to structure activities which promote such qualities. With plans to examine the overall curriculum, this point should be borne in mind so that there is ample scope for schools to build into its activity programme practical experiences to nurture such qualities and characteristics. Principals and teachers are concerned with the limited scope there is to develop the individual per se, as they are so caught up with covering syllabuses and preparing pupils for examinations. 6. Staff Development If quality is to emerge in education, one of the basic requirements is an ongoing staff development programme. The Ministry of Education, no doubt, will seek to meet broad organisational needs and planning its own staff development programme.”
“There is indication that other changes are in the offing - that a Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore will be established (as is published in today's Straits Times) as well as replacement of professional officers by administrators and those with talent in creative writing at HQ and CDIS respectively. There is also considerable speculation on things to come. The ground is attempting to anticipate these changes in order not to be caught on the wrong foot. There is a feeling, Sir, that if the ultimate shape of things can be made known, rather than to see them take place piecemeal and on an ad hoc basis, there would be greater certainty of the direction and, therefore, greater confidence. Uncertainty breeds insecurity and the latter must necessarily slow down the pace. 3. Educational Technology Emphasis to be placed on educational technology will gladden the hearts of teachers. However, to encourage the use of technology, there has to be an appreciation of conditions on ground level which could limit full use of technology. Physical limitations are known, as also is the need for non-teaching manpower. There has to be an organisational set-up within each school, which allows for a lead teacher to guide and promote the use of technology. The teacher will need to carry a lighter teaching load so as to be able to assist other teachers. Teachers themselves must be so placed as to be able to have sufficient time to set up aids they plan to use. It cannot be assumed that the mere provision of adequate technological aids will lead to an increased use. Ground conditions must be examined and adjusted to promote greater use of technology. 4. Communication The frequency with which meetings of principals are called by the different departments has fallen.”
“Sir, if our aim is to produce quality education, to bring out the right calibre of people to meet the requirements of skilled manpower, then what I have to say has some relevance in the context of our restructuring effort, especially when there have been many cases in the past of putting "round pegs in square holes" or vice-versa, as evidenced by the recent reorganisation of the Ministry of Education. 1. School Appraisal Sir, it is quite obvious that a new management culture is emerging in education. The concept of accountability has caught on and schools will be expected to subject themselves to periodic external assessment and self-evaluation. While this is welcomed, it has to be accompanied by an appreciation that the ground must be prepared for the realisation of the concept. There is evident apprehension among principals that they may lack the skills and expertise to reorganise their schools to accommodate the concept and to assess progress. They envisage that their teachers will be required to undertake additional chores for the purpose and may not be fully appreciative of this. Hence, there would appear to be two prerequisites: first, the prior preparation of principals to measure up to the task, and second, to adequately publicise the concept and expectation of schools so that teachers are psychologically prepared for the innovation. Carrying the field with the new idea will be the surest way of ensuring its success. 2. Educational Structure Since 1979 various changes have taken place in the content, structure and organisation of our education system. Much of this has been adequately publicised.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to continue with my speech which was interrupted on Friday when the House adjourned. As I was saying, Sir, the message which the Hon. Minister had tried to convey to our people in order to meet the country's need for restructured effort and the development of skilled manpower, was loud and clear - that every one should try to realise his full potential, by upgrading his skills in order to earn a better income and attain better living standards. As our only resources are human resources on which our future economy depends, the development and realisation of the full potential of our population, are very crucial. They have to be done along all fronts - in the schools, the universities, and the colleges. Our institutions have to be geared to produce the best talents to meet the needs of our rapidly developing economy and changing society. Every able-bodied person, male and female, young and old, must contribute something towards the building of our economy. In this respect, Sir, let me make further observations on some aspects of education which have been singled out in the Budget statement as one of the important areas to be focused in this restructuring effort to produce the required skilled manpower to meet the needs of the 80's. Mr Speaker, Sir, to ensure the success of our restructuring exercise, as rightly mentioned by the Hon. Minister in his statement, "we need an abundant supply of skilled, technical and professional manpower. We are, therefore, assessing the requirements for professional, technical and skilled manpower in the 80's." Sir, I would like to cast the spotlight on schools because this is an area that I know best and which I can speak with some authority.”
“Sir, I would like to see that similar opportunities be given to those officers who are doing administrative duties, such as school principals and vice-principals, to attend courses in educational administration leading to diplomas or degrees, to enable them to equip themselves with better knowledge and experience. In carrying out their professional duties, the additional qualifications will prove beneficial. There is also unhappiness among some teachers and education officers who, after obtaining higher degrees overseas at their own expense, have not been emplaced in the right salary scale for some technical reason or another. This is most demoralising. It is bad for morale. Why the delay? I know a few such cases; they have taken their complaints to the Teachers Union which has not been able to do anything about it. I do not know, Sir, if any injustice has been done to these teachers, but I am sure it is our policy to encourage the upgrading of our teachers' skills and professionalism through professional development. Is it not our policy to reward people who put in that extra effort, that extra hard work, who possess that extra skill, who are that extra-enterprising? Sir, the message which our Minister for Trade and Industry has tried to convey to our people in order to meet the country's need for restructured effort and the development of skilled manpower, is loud and clear - that every one should try to realise his full potential, by upgrading his skills in order to earn better income and attain better living standards. As our only resources are human resources on which our future economy depends, the development and realisation of the full potential of our population are very crucial. 6.00 p.m.”
“But this step would be contrary to the Government's plan to create an open, free market competition. Sir, one departmental store recently held an annual sale during the period just before the Lunar New Year. This attracted thousands of our people. They flocked to this store to buy so-called better quality goods at cheaper prices. These were actually "dumped" imported goods. Does the Government allow the dumping of such goods which sell cheaper than locally-made goods? I know that Singaporeans are very brand-conscious, but why do they spend unnecessarily on goods that are imported rather than buy our Singapore-made goods? Perhaps something should be done to promote or to stop up the promotion of Singapore-made goods among our young workers who have developed a habit of going for expensive imported items. Sir, on manpower development, the Hon. Minister mentioned that the crucial factor determining our economic performance in the 80's will be the availability and quality of our manpower. In this respect, Sir, the Ministry of Education's recent step to encourage students and teachers to take up higher studies, either locally or abroad, is in line with the Budget restructuring policy. It is heartening to hear that students who obtained more than one credit at the GCE 'O' level examinations are allowed to repeat their subjects in order to enable them to proceed to the Pre-U classes. The upgrading of teachers' qualifications, both in terms of educational and professional qualifications, is a very encouraging sign. And the spirit and the manner in which such opportunities are extended to those who have the necessary qualifications to pursue higher education have boosted the morale of teachers.”
“But, Sir, I con see the problems faced by these local manufacturers in competing against locally-based multi-national companies which are in a position to push their products through their established international distribution networks. Unless our manufacturers are able to organize themselves into a powerful group, combining all their manpower, resources, expertise and capital, rather than acting on an individual basis, I can see the kind of competition that our local manufacturers will be facing - tough, rough and an uphill task all the way. In this respect, Sir, the Singapore Manufacturers Association, which coordinates the activities of the various local industries, should strive to form an organisation called, perhaps, "Singapore Incorporated" bringing all the export-oriented manufacturers into a single body and concentrating every effort to achieve their objectives. They should not rely too much on Government assistance, as in the past. Instead, they should plan their own strategy by importing expertise and by taking advantage of Research and Development to develop their know-how, skill, manpower and technology. Another strategy which the local manufacturers should aim at is to obtain home support and patronage for their locally-made products. Why do I say this, Sir? I observe that many of our people, especially the younger ones, prefer to buy imported goods to locally-manufactured products. Unless we con quickly convince our people that Singapore-made goods are as good as imported ones, our industries will continue to suffer. Only by imposing higher duties on imported goods and materials would the Government be able to discourage our people from buying these expensive imported items.”
“While I appreciate very much, Sir, the Government's aim to reduce the levels of personal income tax in the next two or three years, I hope that the Minister will, in the next Budget presentation, look into the question of increasing income tax reliefs as well. Secondly, Sir, the Government's move to remove protective duties in stages has brought joy to all consumers as this means that Singaporeans will be paying cheaper locally-made goods, such as TV sets, air conditioners, refrigerators, etc. However, this move has caused some grave concern and worry in some manufacturing circles, as it is bound to have a disruptive effect on the growth of local industries. As the Minister rightly pointed out, we depend on world markets for large scale expansion of manufacturing activities and our products must be internationally competitive. This cannot be achieved with tariff protection. The action to remove protective duties is to ensure the pursuit of an open, competitive economy wedded to the world's fortunes. The Government's aim is to restructure the economy with a target of 8-10% annual growth in the 80's and a per capita income of $15,000 to $18.000 (at 1979 prices), to be attained in 1990. All this is very encouraging indeed. But with escalating oil prices, other inflationary trends, increasing high cost of living and very competitive life-styles, we have to provide some kind of safeguard to ensure that our people continue to enjoy a reasonably comfortable living. The targets set could be achieved if the development of industries like the manufacturing sector could meet the challenges that lie ahead, especially in their export drive and capacity.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to join my colleagues in thanking the Minister for Trade and Industry for delivering the Budget Statement on behalf of the Government. This year's Budget, described as "Chok Tong's Joy Budget" by a leading newspaper, has brought joy to all taxpayers because of its across-the-board income tax cuts. However, to some manufacturers, the removal of protective duties has caused concern and worry because of its potential disruptive effect on the growth of local industries. Sir, the Hon. Minister's explanation for the preference for across-the-board tax cuts over the granting of income tax reliefs was that. The more citizens we have paying income tax, the more voters there are who understand that welfare programmes which sound such attractive giveaways from some magic cornucopia conjured up at election time, must mean an increase in their income tax. 'The rationale for this decision is the need to spread income tax to cover as many individuals as possible.' Sir, all of us in this House and those members of the public who are paying income tax agree and fully support the tax cuts, but I feel very strongly that there is still a good case for a review of the various tax reliefs - personal relief, earned income relief, and relief for dependants - as these reliefs have not been revised for more then three decades. Arguments have time and again been put forward in the past for increases in tax reliefs. These are to relieve the financial burden of income taxpayers and to enable them to make adjustments for the ever-present inflationary trends and the increasingly high cost of living. It is very unrealistic for the present levels of income tax reliefs to remain unrevised.”
“To ask the Minister for National Development if he will consider installing traffic lights at the junction of New Upper Changi Road and Bedok South Avenue 1. 31.”
“To ask the Minister for National Development if he will request the Public Works Department to construct bus shelters in front of Apartment Block 40, Bedok South Road and Apartment Block 65, New Upper Changi Road. 30.”
“The Revised Structure of Education deserves support. Its full implementation will naturally take several years to complete. A major overhaul of a machinery so vast and complicated as Singapore's education system will need a length of time. What we hope to see, as the Prime Minister has pointed out, is flexibility in its implementation. What we also hope to see is that the Report will accept whatever modifications deemed necessary to suit genuine and established changing needs at any particular point of time, because, as I have said earlier, it is a good Report but by no means a complete Report. Modifications, amendments, additions and re-orientations may be found necessary. Since the publication of the Report, Sir, I have had the opportunity to meet principals, teachers and parents to discuss some aspects of the Report but not in greater detail. Unfortunately, those I spoke to said that they needed more time to study the Report and its many ramifications before they could submit their views either verbally or in writing. It is heartening to note, Sir, that the Motion "recommends periodic adjustments and changes to the revised structure which experience and advice of principals and teachers show to be desirable in the long term interests of pupils." On that note, Mr Speaker, Sir, I move that we accept the Report subject to the provisos I have outlined above, and may I propose that a Parliamentary Committee be set up to receive views and representations from members of the public. 4.29 p.m.”
“All those areas of weaknesses identified by the Study Team should be quickly acted upon and remedied. Any operation which is major will be painful. Some can bear the pain better than others. But it has to be done. However, Sir, the brush should not in one swipe tarnish all and everyone. Those who have done well should be so recognised. Any form of incision or excision should only be carried out in those areas which are really in need of it. As the Prime Minister has said, we must, for example, recognise those teachers who set a good moral example and care for the students. The Report of the Study Team should not be treated as the end-all. It is a good report, but not really complete, let alone perfect. More consultations should be carried out before the full implementation of its various recommendations. More teachers and principals should be consulted; possibly parents too. And even students if this is found desirable anywhere along the line for they are the ones most affected. I am personally very glad the Study Team was formed. It has managed to uncover many hitherto hidden weaknesses and drawbacks in our schools, the Ministry of Education and the education system as a whole. The shortcomings too, many of them, have been identified. Many of these are not really new. They have been there. We have taken shots at them before, both inside and outside of Parliament. Many of our criticisms and suggestions have hitherto fallen on deaf ears and thus gone to waste. The Goh Keng Swee Report will hopefully change all this, as it should. The Deputy Prime Minister and his Education Study Team therefore deserve a hearty round of congratulations. We are at long last moving along the right track and in the right direction, with goals and objectives spelt out in no uncertain terms.”
“Look at the other professions - the doctors, the lawyers, the accountants, the architects, etc. Their professional status has not been eroded; even if it has been, it is only a minor one. For the teaching profession, it seems this erosion is almost complete. What is needed perhaps is a professional organisation of teachers, not merely unions. A professional organisation of teachers on the lines of the Medical Association, the Dental Association, the Association of Accountants and the like - organisations whose primary aims are not merely to get better salaries and improved working conditions, important though these may be, but aims that are more concerned with intrinsic values for the profession and the upgrading of skills and professionalism. Teachers would then be guided and governed by codes of conduct and ethics of behaviour. They would be encouraged to jealously guard against blemishing these codes and ethics. Those guilty will be rapped and punished in accordance with the constitution of the Association, just as the other professional associations take action against offending members. Sir, I believe I have tried to voice some of the areas of concern in the field of education. I believe I have tried to focus attention on genuine problems affecting education and the teaching profession in Singapore. I believe I have tried to bring out some important aspects of education which require a closer look and which need urgent resolution. May I conclude, Sir, by saying that I fully support the exercise to overhaul the administration of the Ministry of Education. Obviously there is a need for it, a need long felt. But this exercise should not be confined to only the administrative level of the Ministry.”
“Schools should be allowed discretion to choose their own activities according to their manpower availability, because it is acknowledged that there is a shortage of qualified ECA or PE teachers. At the same time, we know that our ECA programme is one of the best in this part of the world, recognised by such august bodies as the Colombo Plan. But we should not overdo it. There is also the dissatisfaction of the graduate teacher. While the non-graduate teacher is offered various avenues of advancement through the many channels of scholarships, etc., the graduate teacher is more often than not left to stagnate. This state of affairs can be most demoralising to those affected, Why should this be the case? Surely the graduate teacher who wishes to better himself or herself should be given the opportunity to do so. It is my hope, Sir, that this area of unhappiness would be looked into and remedial action taken to correct the unfortunate situation. Unless it is quickly resolved, its insidious effect will further contribute to the low state of morale of these teachers and erode their confidence. Their work will be affected, to the detriment of the students they teach. Teachers today somehow have lost the respect, the standing, the status, the place of honour they used to possess in the old days. Why should this be so? Teaching is a profession. It used to be a noble profession. Why has it lost its "nobility"? Is it because of the way they have been treated by the powers that be? Many feel this is the case, the reason, the cause of it all. We talk about upgrading professionalism in the teaching profession. How can we talk about professionalism if teachers are not accorded recognition as professional people?”
“Similarly with the Indian community, many of its members do not speak or even understand Tamil. So when we speak about L1, L2, L3 and so on, is the reference point and is the definition correct and really applicable? A simple, to the point answer and clarification would be useful in clearing up the existing doubts. I fully agree that there is an overload of work and assignments, both in the areas of formal education and ECA activities, for the average student today. Naturally, the spin-off is an overload of work and responsibility for the teachers, not to mention principals. The pressure is on daily. The race is on all the time. The push, the rush, the nudge - they are there every day. It is just not healthy, whichever way we look at it. On top of this and because of this, parents rush to give their children private tuition the moment they get into Primary 1. I do not know where all this is ultimately taking us to. Will it lead us to a society of geniuses, or will it lead us to a society of paper-chasers and nervous wrecks? I am therefore glad the Study Team has also identified this as a problem area. There should now be some relaxation in the implementation of the school curriculum. If it is really and truly the intention to allow students to proceed according to their own pace, then they should not be made to study compulsory subjects after Secondary 2, apart from the basic languages. Regarding ECA, the school should be allowed to choose and plan its own sphere of activities rather than be required to have mandatory activities like the National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) or the National Cadet Corps (NCC). Students in Secondary 1 and Secondary 2, for example, would find Scouting or Guiding more pleasurable.”
“Now a new element has emerged - it concerns the morale of Ministry officials. The Report has apparently caused a great deal of embarrassment and created a lot of unhappiness among them. They feel that they have been made the scapegoat. The Report certainly puts them in poor light in general. But it is really not fair to blame Ministry HQ officials for all the ills of our education system and its implementation. Often, they merely carry out plans and proposals, changes, new ideas and decisions handed down by the Cabinet. I am saying that they should not be blamed for everything that has gone wrong so far. Identifying problems is one thing, but looking for scapegoats is another. Perhaps Mr Speaker, Sir, a good move would be to decentralise authority a little. What I am suggesting is that while the Ministry HQ should formulate policies, it should not interfere too much or too rigidly in the implementation of these policies in schools. It should largely be left to the schools because they are in the best position to ascertain what goals are possible and how to go about achieving these goats. There are several other pertinent points which I would like to bring to the attention of this House, Sir. Without meaning to make this a trumpet-blowing session, I can say that I speak with some authority on these matters because I live and work with them day in and day out. The first matter that is disturbing a great number of teachers, parents and students is the question, "What is meant by the term 'mother tongue'?" The Ministry should define this. For the Chinese, for example, Mandarin is in most cases not the mother tongue as explained in the Report. It could be any of the many dialects.”
“They were not nurtured as future Messiahs but they got the sense of commitment and service, I believe, through being thrown in with all and sundry. Need I say more, Sir? Many of the things they learnt in school could not be directly relevant to governing a country, but the importance of school subjects lies in the training and disciplining of the critical faculty in learning how to learn. In our efforts to force our children to pass examinations, we cram them with facts and more inert facts, without consciously training their mind and teaching them how to learn. Sir, with a discerning mind and an ability to learn and gather relevant facts, a person can tackle most problems without too much difficulty. Children have inquiring minds. They ask many questions until they are settled by impatient or ill-informed adults who have more important matters to attend to. Yet in our attempt to teach and cover the syllabus which is often unreasonably heavy, we race through lessons giving fact after fact and grade those students well who can faithfully regurgitate those facts which may soon be out of date. A great deal, Sir, has been said about whether or not teacher-morale is low. The Report maintains it is not low. But many teachers say otherwise. Many question the validity of the survey carried out by the Study Team. Does the small number of teachers interviewed really represent the views of the thousands of other teachers? Was a proper cross-section of teachers and principals covered? Naturally, it is felt that teachers in good schools exhibit better morale and teachers in poor schools would show a different picture. In any case, the general feeling is that the Study Team's findings are not correct in this respect.”
“constitute the majority of problem soldiers, those who wind up as court martial cases, summary trials, for disciplinary offences, drug addicts and attempted suicide cases." This is a quotation from the Study Report [page 1-3]. We can draw a parallel picture for the girls. In the words of Dr Goh's Report [page 1-4]: "The end product [i.e. those who suffer repeated failures] would have lost self-confidence, self-esteem and developed a host of character defects produced by feelings of inadequacy." Sir, but what of those who can cope with the present education system, especially those in the nine super schools? Being pressured to maintain the good academic performance under pain of loss of face for both children and parents, or being made to feel useless or not as good as somebody's child, they consequently cut down activities that do not directly lead to a brilliant academic record. All this must surely leave scars on otherwise healthy children. Sir, they will also develop character defects, the worst of which may be selfishness and an unwholesome sense of self-importance, born out of the notion that they are the leaders or saviours of Singapore. Our present leaders were nurtured under a more easy-going education system which did not put so much stress on them when they were children. Many in their time did not see the university degree as the be-all and end -all of life. Arid this was as it should be. And yet under such less stringent school conditions and with an undoubtedly more colourful and creative childhood (for they were in their childhood then) our present leaders have done remarkably well to see us through 20 critical years of our nation's growth.”
“" This yardstick is academic performance in school which by some queer twist of logic is equated with economic contribution and remuneration. It is little wonder then that parents, anxious that their children should do well in life, engage private tutors the minute the toddler steps into primary one. Throughout their school career we make our children feel that the grades in their report books are the most important thing in the whole world, seeing the way we hound our children to study during school hours and, after school under private tutors, have to go over the same ground as that covered in school. It seems that we are pegging a child's future economic worth to his academic performance. Sir, growing up in such a limited and narrow world, is it any surprise then that most of our children are not politicised or aware of society's problems, or willing to serve as leaders without counting the costs and benefit? After all, we have indoctrinated them so well during their school years that whenever they put in hard work and effort, they will be rewarded with better grades and be one up over another child. It cannot be denied that our education system breeds unhealthy competition instead of cooperation. Yet we still preach about cooperation and say that if everybody cooperates there will be greater benefit all round for everybody. How often have we heard of books being stolen and pages being torn? This is all part of the selfish competitive game of Beggar-my-neighbour. Sir, the effects of competition in school can be disastrous in the long run for our nation. In the scramble to do well according to the stipulated academic standards, many will fall by the wayside. "These school dropouts ...”
“Sir, we come now to streaming. I think the Member for Anson has expressed his views earlier on, and I share most of his views on streaming. Streaming is not an easy thing to do. The IQ tests, as suggested, are not foolproof. Many of these tests are foreign in nature. Their application here may or may not provide the answers sought. In any case, a one-time IQ test is certainly not the right way to go about it. It Will certainly not obviate streaming errors. An error in streaming can affect a child's whole future, his very life. And when should streaming start? At what age of the child's school life should it begin? HOW does the Ministry plan to conduct the IQ tests for streaming? Sir, I would like to register a note of caution on the proposed introduction of IQ tests. I must also register a note of concern. Ever since 1959, we have not been able to devise an IQ test with local norms. We can import foreign IQ tests, such as Fenner, Weiss, etc. but this is an imposition of foreign norms on our population. Some children are slow starters, as the Member for Anson has said earlier. Imagine what would happen if great minds like Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill and Li Po had been streamed? They would probably end up in the Basic Course if they were schooled in Singapore! How many of the like of these men are we unwittingly smouldering by our unhealthy insistence that our children should make the grade in school? And what is the yardstick for the grade? Sir, we impose the same yardstick, the same criteria on all our children despite knowing, consciously or otherwise, that "different children have different capacities to acquire knowledge.”
“All these have apparently not only been influencing factors but also determining factors in the implementation of educational policies. Often a policy is laudable enough in concept, but in its final implementation, it may become something else. We have seen during the past few years experiments and experimentation galore come and go. A great deal of confusion has resulted. Unhappiness has settled in. There are attendant, if implicit, dangers in categorising schools as "super" schools, "so-so" schools, or "lousy" schools etc. There are questions of pressure, stigma and low morale involved. Imagine the pressure put on those who go to the "super" schools. They are all expected to do "super well". What if they do not? I am not against the concept of giving the brightest of our pupils the best of opportunities. It is how we go about implementing our policies pertaining to these "super" schools that gives cause for worry. We have to ensure that we do not fall into the old trap of planning one thing and implementing another. And what about the so-called "poor" schools. How would the pupils and the teachers in these schools feel? The stigma is there, no matter what one says or preaches. Society decides on these matters. The social world of the child is just as important to him as the adult world is to the adult. It would be tragic if all the "poor" schools are filled with "poor" material, second or third triers and plodders only. As I have indicated earlier, how will all these students and their teachers feel? I think the Ministry should ensure that students who do not make it to the top nine "super" schools are evenly distributed among the rest of the schools, using a school's proximity to the child's home as a criterion and taking into consideration a parent's request.”
“The age criteria should be made less stringent. That is, pupils should not be considered overaged at the primary school level, and those who have insufficient learning capacity to pass the PSLE should be channelled to a special stream as recommended. However, Sir, an option should be given to parents of dialect-speaking homes to choose whether their children should be literate in either English or Mandarin. Apart from Mandarin having close affinity with the various Chinese dialects, thus enabling the pupil to master it more easily, English in the present context appears to have an edge over Mandarin in utilitarian value. On completion of the special course, most of these pupils will probably end up as waiters, salesmen, taxi drivers, and the like. English could perhaps put them in good stead if they have greater contact with tourists, etc. To offset the danger of deculturisation among this group of pupils, moral education could be given greater stress. Sir, the concept of teaching children according to their ability has been in existence for a long time now. Just look up any good book on the theory and practice of teaching and you will find this to be the case. The concept of allowing children to learn at their own pace has been in existence for a good many years. The trouble is that it has remained only a theory in our schools. It has been put into practice with good effect in many other countries. But the teachers are not to be blamed at all, and neither the Ministry of Education which should not bear the whole brunt of the guilt. It is due to our education system - this constant paper chase, this one-upmanship syndrome, this relentless drive for examination excellence at the expense of almost everything else.”
“Let me now, Mr Speaker, Sir, turn to the question of streaming, student morale and teacher morale. The recommendation for a three-tier system of education is forward-looking and acceptable if the attrition rate is lowered. However, a few suggestions as to its implementation are made here: (1) The establishment of super schools for the top PSLE passes in all language streams. Here, parental option may be exercised to ascertain which super secondary school parents would like their children to go to. (2) No option to be exercised in the case of the other schools. Pupils, apart from the top 12 to 15% as in (1), will be posted to schools nearest their homes. This will result in a more balanced intake of pupils of more or less equal academic attainment. These pupils being average and slightly above average should be able to make the four-year course. However, streaming could be introduced at perhaps Secondary 3 level to sieve the slow ones, and these children could either be channelled into the five-year course or be made to sit for the CSE examination at the fourth year. Those who pass the PSLE after two or three tries should be channelled into a secondary school which offers only a five-year course of secondary education. Thus streaming is done at the PSLE level. However, reposting to schools, as indicated in (2) or even in (1), should be made possible should there be some pupils who are late developers. These schools should not unnecessarily suffer the social stigma of being slow schools if there is general acceptance that not all pupils can achieve similar academic standards. Those who cannot make it either at Secondary 2 or 3 level in spite of the slower pace should continue to be accorded the chance of being channelled into the ITB courses as at present.”
“Moral education is, however, a totality, and the mere introduction of stories will not be enough. The stories from all cultures will help to promote respect for these cultures among those belonging to other cultures. But they are not enough to motivate us to action. They are only illustrations of good conduct. The strongest possible motivation is a religious one and this should only be introduced into education. While we acknowledge the dangers of proselytism and fanaticism, we feel that the best atmosphere is that of a multi-racial school where each religion is treated with respect and where each pupil is taught to love his own culture including his ancestral religion. Fanaticism is controlled by the prudence, tolerance and respect of principals and teachers who themselves teach these religions according to the faith they profess and only to those pupils who belong to this faith. Thus, if there are 40 Confucianists in a school and a Confucian teacher, he would teach that Confucian class. Likewise with Taoists or Muslims or Christians or Sikhs or Hindus or Buddhists. Thus at the same time moral attitudes and cultural values will be imparted and reinforced in an atmosphere of respect resembling what is practised in the Republic as a whole. It is time that we gave up the idea that religion has nothing to do with the school. Let us acknowledge that various tried and proven spiritual systems as practised in society and respected by all are equally valid in schools. Let us incidentally get across to our pupils that comparative religion entails a total respect for the spirit of man while allowing him to love and worship God." Sir, it is therefore rather surprising to note that such scant attention is paid to this major aspect of education in this Report.”
“There are, unfortunately, too many people today who are either ignorant of the relation between duty and obligation, or who deliberately confuse this relation in order to avoid responsibility. There are obviously those who have had poor or insufficient or incorrect moral grounding. There are those who do not realise that they have to acknowledge the duty that accompanies each and every right they enjoy. There are those who often too readily and willingly put in their oars but refuse to do any rowing. If we had too many of such citizens, our country would be at a standstill. The school is one sure place where it can ensure that this will not happen. Moral education should never be lost sight of. What we make of our children in the years ahead will depend on many factors, and moral education is a major factor. Whether we will make them good citizens, loyal citizens, productive citizens, who will be proud of and be prepared to defend their country, who will be contributing significantly and unselfishly to the progress of their nation, and who will dutifully acknowledge their social obligation to their homeland, depends a good deal on how we bring them up in school, at home and elsewhere in terms of moral education. The examples we ourselves set are of the utmost importance. Teachers, parents, religious and other leaders all have their vital parts to play. But since children spend so much of their lives in school, it is the school that is looked upon as the main theatre in this drama of life. Sir, allow me at this juncture to read out an extract from a view expressed by a principal, a colleague of mine, on the same subject of moral education, which I also share: "What we did not dare to hope for is the introduction of formal education and we applaud the proposal.”
“I shall come to these various areas in the course of the next few minutes. Mr Speaker, Sir, let me try to deal with these areas of concern one at a time. I am truly concerned over them. Firstly, the subject of moral education which the Prime Minister himself has found fit to comment on strongly. This is a fundamental issue. It is an essential consideration. For upon it, its proper learning at one's early and formative stage, largely rests one's character in the years to come. Unlike subject learning, moral education cannot be swotted for. Its results cannot be gauged by the marks obtained on a piece of paper or by answering questions. It has to be lived. It has to be practised. It has to be seen. It has to be felt. Living it and practising it is a long and continuing process which is not cut off at the end of the school day or at the end of the school term. Moral education is something that requires the contribution and the partnership of all concerned in its teaching and practice. The school, the home, the house of worship, society - all have their parts to play. But the school has a far-reaching role to play. Its part can take many forms, formal and informal. I am not advocating that any form of religious fervour be pumped into the minds of our young. I am not, certainly not, advocating any moral or religious fanaticism. But the teachings of the prophets and great leaders from all religions - Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, and others - told in the context of modern day application and made relevant to the situation of the world today, would go a long way towards inculcating values, attitudes, tolerance, understanding, and a sense of duty and obligation that are desirable and correct.”