In telling the story his daughter had with a cleaner former Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Yee Jenn Jong pointed out that the government’s aim to create many pathways to success beyond exam grades remains challenging.
The cleaner at a preschool lamented that her son who is a student at a polytechnic was working part-time and hence not concentrating properly in his studies. Mr Yee’s daughter had to convince the cleaner that her son was picking up valuable skills which a classroom education will not be able to give him. Mr Yee said that the cleaner’s concern is typical of the average Singaporean parents.
“We have been conditioned that the pathway to success in life is to score in exams. When you are studying, do not waste time on other things, even if these are useful skills to have or can help one to develop their character. If you are a student, just study. In many parents’ minds, grades are what matters.”
The ex-NCMP also recounted the conversation he had with a “former high-flying government servant turned entrepreneur”, about Singaporeans being exams-smart but lacking the ability to cope in the new economy – an economy which requires innovation, creativity, resilience and many skills that one cannot train through the books.
“When I mentioned about us consistently scoring tops in PISA assessments, he remarked that our education advantage like those measured through PISA often disappear in tertiary studies when one has to go beyond knowledge.”
Mr Yee said that his former civil servant friend also shared his concern about high-flyers taking very safe paths. His friend worries that if Singapore continues to head this way, it will end up doing very safe things to meet short term KPIs, and not do things that are necessary for essential disruptive changes.
Parents and students eyeing a berth in one of the six local universities cheered the news that a record number of applicants was admitted this year.
Some 15,000 polytechnic graduates and A-level school leavers won a place for the new academic year, 1,000 more than last year, raising the age group’s rate of entry into university to 32 per cent.
The Ministry of Education said it was on track to reach its target cohort participation rate of 40 per cent by 2020.
No doubt, having a degree has always increased the prospects of better-paying jobs. The latest graduate employment survey released early this year showed median salary levels for the class of 2013 rose to $3,200 from $3,050 the year before.
The employment rate of degree holders also remained high, with close to nine in 10 finding jobs within six months of graduation.
Whether this will still be the case a few years from now remains to be seen.
Elsewhere, such as in South Korea and Taiwan, a glut of graduates followed the liberalisation of universities, resulting in increasing under- and unemployment of degree holders.
Social economists like Mr Phillip Brown from the United Kingdom argue that the conventional wisdom that a degree equals higher earnings does not hold true any more, when employers can scour the world to find the highest skills they can get for the least amount of money. This creates a sort of worldwide auction for high-skill, low-wage work.
As government officials have stressed, school leavers would do well not to blindly rush into a degree course before they figure out where their interests and talents lie. Some may even want to go out to work to hone their skills and understand the demands of the marketplace first.
Then, when they finally enter university, they would be better able to match their education with their career goals. When their talent can align with real-world needs, graduates would find that they have a better chance of success.
Operating heavy machinery takes finesse, but one man takes it to the next level. A video of him using a forklift to pick up a 20 cent coin from the floor and transferring it into a container, posted on Labour Chief Chan Chun Sing’s Facebook page, has chalked up nearly 83,000 views and 1,000 likes in just under a month. Impressed netizens lauded the forklift operator for his “hole in one” trick, with some saying “Wow”, and others commenting that that “Singapore’s got talent”.
In reality, the smooth moves are not a trick, but an activity designed for students who take a course in forklift operations at the NTUC LearningHub – also known as LHUB.
The man behind it is Mr Ronald Khoo – a trainer with more than 20 years of experience under his belt. He came up with the coin exercise about 10 years ago when he realised that students learned best by applying technical know-how with practical skills.
“I hope that I can impart all these skills, the correct attitude and knowledge so I can make training and learning fun,” Mr Khoo said.
Typically, students will exert some pressure on the coin using the fork, in order to flip the coin onto it. Then, students will have to control the speed of the lever in order to move the coin to the edge of the fork, before it can be deposited into the container.
During a demonstration for Channel NewsAsia, Mr Khoo took it up a notch. Instead of using a 20 cent coin, he used a 10-cent coin – and successfully deposited it into a water bottle, with a much smaller opening. “Yes!” he would shout after each successful attempt, complete with a fist pump.
The aim of the exercise is to help trainees adapt to different types of situations and cargo. “After coming up with this activity, I feel that when participants go back to the practical aspect of their job, subconsciously, they are able to do the job,” he said with pride.
He also has another exercise called the “Figure 8”, which involves picking up a crate with a ball sitting atop a cone, and then wending around obstacles. Mr Khoo said a “Japanese master” taught him the exercise when he first started as a junior trainer in 1993.
“This trains us on speed control, on the position of the vehicle, and on the correct time to turn the steering wheel,” he revealed. “It can also train a participant with no driving knowledge on how to turn left, right, and how to make a U-turn.”
“If you use the old-school methods of teaching, they may feel bored. This will make it fun and enjoyable,” said Mr Khoo, adding that he has also trained ex-offenders, who find this approach useful.
BEING A TEACHER IS A ‘DREAM COME TRUE’
Mr Khoo’s colleagues said he is always jolly and incredibly passionate about his job.
Describing himself as a “humble kampong boy” who was “born next to a drain”, Mr Khoo said his passion stems from a driving instructor whom he felt did not teach him in a way that was applicable. As a result, he needed to take 10 driving tests before obtaining his licence. From then on, he wanted to be a teacher, so others would not have to endure the same agony.
“My mum said no, you come from a humble village background, you don’t have a chance to become a teacher, especially if you don’t study hard,” he said. “I don’t like studying. When I study, I get a headache.”
Despite not completing his O-levels, Mr Khoo said Workforce Skills Qualifications courses gave him the opportunity to become a trainer. “I enjoy doing all of this because I partially take it as a passion, and partially I fulfilled my mum’s dream for me to be a teacher,” he said.
“I am grateful to everyone who supported my training. It makes a difference in my life,” Mr Khoo said. “When my students go out there, they can earn a living, so I feel even better.”
As for the praise for his skills on Facebook, Mr Khoo said it was unexpected. He also did not know that the video was a hit to begin with.
“I don’t have Facebook,” he admitted, followed by a huge belly laugh.
