Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts

Tuesday, 12 May 2015

Foreign Talent or Fake Talent?

Previously, a Minister remarked that a degree is not important for career advancement. Then fake degrees from foreigners began sprouting up in the local job market - degrees which can be bought with money. Another minister then remarked that MOM will disregard these qualifications completely. However, MOM will still assess the application of an S-pass based on a combination of factors and not solely based on academic merit. Do you agree with the way this matter is handled?

We have a large number of locals with a wealth of experience but lack the academic qualifications to get promoted. Some senior citizens with higher salaries were unfortunately dismissed. After that, they can no longer find another comparable job in the same position and have to accept lower salaries.

Besides, we have a number of local university graduates who have to compete with their peers and foreigners with fake degrees from degree mills.

We cannot see the government's resolve in clamping down on foreigners with fake degrees, who eventually took over some of our locals'  jobs. If we condone the import of such "foreign talents", our local university degrees would then be really worthless.

What is the government's responsibility to the people? What is the stand of the trade union on foreigners who have used such fake degrees to apply for S-passes?

The government's incessant excuses in the defence of foreigners and vacillating between conflicting statements would not be able to convince the public. Confucius once said, "If your title / degree is not accredited, then your speech will be improper. If your speech is improper, then your tasks will not be accomplished. If your tasks cannot be accomplished, there would not be harmony in society. If there is no harmony in society, then rewards and punishments will be unjust. If rewards and punishments are unjust, then the people will be at a loss as to what to do. If the people cannot guarantee their livelihood, there will be more resentment and the government will ultimately lose the trust of the people."

Lim Bak Chuan Desmond 


之前一些部长说大学文凭不重要?现在市场出现不用上课,付钱就可以买到大学文凭,而部长说只是把它当成没有认可的文凭,劳工部还是会以他们的经验和薪金来鉴定再决定发"S准证"给他们,你们认同这样的做法吗?

我们的一些老员工经验丰富却因为没有文凭升不了级,有一些更可悲因为年高龄和工资高过外来人才而被裁员。之后找不到相同收入或是同样的工作岗位,而委屈接受比之前低的工资。

还有每年我们有那么多大学生毕业,不只要跟自己人争取就业岗位,现在还要跟那些没有学历却用钱买大学文凭充当外来人才的外国人竞争。

我们却看不到政府有决心停止这些以所谓的"外来人才",跟我们枪饭碗。如果继续有大量的让这些"假外来人才"入侵,我们的大学文凭真的会如部长所说的那样不重要了。

政府对国民的责任在那里?对于外来人才采购文凭还能申请到"S准证",职工总会的立场又是什么?

政府一味为外国人开脱,立场摇摆不定,是很难让人民信服的。子曰:名不正,则言不顺;言不顺,则事不成;事不成,则礼乐不兴;礼乐不兴,则刑罚不中;刑罚不中,则民无所措手足。政府的刑罚不中,不只让人民不知所措,最终必遭选民所唾弃。

林睦荃

Monday, 11 May 2015

Who bears the brunt of increased costs?


为了怕司机被挖角,私人巴士公司可能会提高司机的薪金来保留他们。这么一来,家长是否必须承担这些格外的开销呢?

把合约发给高投标者,使后者有条件以高薪挖角。为什么在解决公共交通品质问题的同时,却制造了另外一个问题给人民来承担。为什么政府不可以直接管理公共交通运作,而必需假手于人呢?




Due to fear of the drivers being poached away, private bus companies may raise salaries to keep their drivers. This way, do the parents have to bear the extra cost of it?

Contract is awarded to the highest bidder, hence the rest need to resort to poaching drivers with higher salaries. Why is it that the citizens have to shoulder the brunt when the government is resolving the issue of the quality of our public transport? Why can't the public transport be managed by government instead of private operators?








Saturday, 2 May 2015

Whose future - PAP's, or SIngaporeans' ?

Photosource: http://blog.enerdynamics.com/2011/11/15/the-future-of-electric-utilities-part-ii/


A multi-party system is crucial and critical for the growth of Singapore.
 
What if one day, the ruling party loses the basis of its policy making in equality among all citizens?
 
What if their motivation, response and performance becomes poor?
 
Bear in mind that Singapore success does not belong to PAP; the stellar performance of our nation in the past was not dependent on one political party, neither will it ever be so in the future.
 
Neither does it belong to just our public servants who supervise or execute public policies and programmes in the various fields.
 
The true main character in the Singapore success story is you.
 
The working people of Singapore, at all levels of our multiracial society.
 
Hence please, come support our vision of a Singaporeans First policy.

[Recap] A party with its values

任何一个执政党如果不把"以民为先,以民为本"的政治理念谨记在心,又不能满足大多数的人民的"衣,食,住,行"的需求时,哪怕它有多大的本领继续促进经济增长和创造奇迹,它最终还是有可能会被人民给遗弃。
Any ruling party that does not instil the values of  "people first, and the heart for the people" in mind, and failed to deliver "food, clothing, shelter, transportation," to the majority group of the people, or meet the majority demand, even if it has much ability to continue to push for economic growth and/or create miracles, but it doesn't connected with the people, it may still be abandoned by its people.

Friday, 1 May 2015

Refrain from Violence!


新加坡是法治社会,我们绝对不能容忍个人自我当判官以暴力来对付任何被提控的新加坡人。
我们必须严厉打击这种不文明行为,希望警察能够立刻采取逮捕行动把这为"暴力判官"绳之以法。
 
Singapore is a society ruled by law, we absolutely can not tolerate those who play judge and resort to violence against any prosecuted Singaporeans.
We must crack down on this uncivilized behaviour; we hope that the police will take immediate action to arrest this "violent judge" and bring him to justice.
 
For more information on the case on Amos Yee being assaulted, read here

Saturday, 25 April 2015

House Visit on 25 April 2015 (Elias Road)


This week, the SDA Team, consisting of members William and Aloysius, shadow town councillors Kim Soon and Derrick, as well as members from the DLs' Caring Community, Thomas, were present for the blocks visit session. The targeted block was 614, Elias Road, and visiting commenced at 10.00am sharp.


 As standard protocol, the group combed the block from the highest floor (18th) in descending order, touching base and reaching out with familiar faces as well as new residents here.



While some of the doors remained shut (should be no one at home), most of the residents were very polite and welcoming towards the friendly approach of the SDA team in their signature lime green polo shirts.



 
 
The SDA members reached out by re-introducing themselves and the purpose of the visit, before gathering feedback from the residents and also sharing their joys and grievances of living in this area. Some of them were so comfortable with the members and shadow town councillors that they even began to feedback about issues at their relatives' estates in the nearby vicinity, hoping that these warm-hearted gentlemen could be of assistance over at more areas.



Other residents who were rather reticent at first felt themselves warming up to the members and shadow town councillors gradually, and ended up chatting them up for more than 15 minutes, engaging in discussions on general issues and sharing their own views. There were also those who expressed keenness to see more of the SDA team and offered suggestions on what they would like to see SDA do for them.



Besides feedback about the lack of amenities and dining choices here, some of the residents also touched on issues such as unlevelled employment opportunities between local and foreign applicants.



"The foreign applicants may have the academic qualifications, but do they really understand the nature of the jobs they are applying for, and what it entails?" quips a concerned *Mrs Wong (name changed to protect privacy). "Our company interviewed some of them and all we got were blank faces when we described the jobscope! How are they able to do the job like that?"

Another resident, *Mr. Tham, shared something rather valuable as well. "While we do not condone those who keep shouting 'return our CPF monies' with no better strategies in mind, we appreciate that you guys (SDA) have come up with the idea of reverting CPF back to its original purpose of pure retirement funding!"



In the meantime, the members of DLs' Caring Community, Thomas and Elle, came to understand the deeper and more pressing concerns of other families who'd shared their problems in confidence. They also managed to identify the needs of some other individuals through the chit-chat session, such as neglected elderly citizens and (illegally) harassed units. The DLs' Caring Community will be taking these cases under their caring wings because this is what they were set out to do.

Finally, the visits concluded at 12.14pm, where the members sincerely thanked the residents for their welcome, their feedback and suggestions. This sums up another meaningful session for the SDA members, shadow town councillors as well as DLs' Caring Community members, who not only got to connect with the people they'll potentially serve, but also, learn a lot from these interactive sessions.

Today's block visit is covered by SDA's field journalist, Elle Chen.




If you have any feedback, suggestions or would like to be a part of SDA or DLs' Caring Community, please feel free to get in touch via email or our Facebook page here or leave your comments on this blog itself. If you would like to be a part of this meaningful initiative, please feel free to get in touch too.









Wednesday, 22 April 2015

Hard-earned Certificates are the real mccoy!

其他国家的孩子中途要来我国上课就得做降两级的插班生,因为我们的教育文凭比更较受国际承认。

一些聪敏的外国人就会选择继续留在他们自己的国家读完大学或是以其他途径打印一张"大学文凭",再来我国找工作。他们知道他们的大学文凭是符合政府就业准证条件又不用降两级,一些雇主为了降低营业成本也不肯不花费请人验证就聘请他们。

可怜的父母们辛苦以劳力换取微博的薪金来栽培自己的孩子, 如今却看到其他国家的人凭一张从打印机打出来的一张彩色证书,就把咱们的孩子老老实实靠实力埋头苦读最少15年得到的大学文凭给压下来。

怪不得最近我们老是听到一些部长们一直在高喊"文凭不重要"。不知道到底执政党是为国人的将来发展这个国家,还是要把我们的国土变成其他国家的公民提供"欢乐园"有以巩固他们自己的政权呢?

你们的看法又如何?





For foreign students to come to Singapore to continue with their studies, they are required to downgrade by two grades because our educational standard is more recognized on an international level.

The smarter foreign kids would choose to remain in their hometown to complete their studies and obtain degrees in their local universities; some would seek out alternative means to attain the "Bachelor's Degree", and then come to Singapore to find employment. They know that their local university degrees are able to fulfill the requirements for the relevant employment passes, and they needn't undergo two levels of downgrade. Some employers would hire these foreign applicants so as to save costs.

The most sorry cases are the parents who have spent so much time and efforts working hard to groom and nurture their own children, just to see 15 years of their diiligent efforts being defeated by a colorfully-printed certificate produced by those who hail from overseas.

No wonder lately, we keep hearing certain ministers saying that "certifications are not important". I wonder if the ruling party is developing this country because of the citizens, or are turning our lands into the foreigners' "playgrounds" in consolidation of their regime?

Wednesday, 15 April 2015

Losing Our Footing


如果有一天,我们失去了地理位置的优势,我们是否能继续的繁荣与稳定?

中国为了自己的战略利益,一直会往外开发以及控制运输航道,这将使我们的水道受到严重威胁,我们的港口受到严重的威胁并将失去了优质的地理位置。

我们必须识时务,认清目前的形势,保障我们自己的未来利益。

我个人认为我们必须采取以下措施:

从国会选举制度开始,必须更改现有的选举制度,废除集选区,管委和非选区议员制,再以各政党得票率来分配席位以确保国会有不同政党轮替,以及多元化的政治理念参与拟定国家政策,

, 再还没有强化国民教育和认同感,国家与社会为先的意识之前,暂时停止接纳新公民,

, 历史虽然不可忽略,但是我们已经跟共产国家有着密切政治,文化,经济与军事交往,因此必须去除矛盾思想,行为和策略。政要要有人性,多注意他国领袖的感受,因此没有必要再高调的提倡反共产主义

, 开始逐步减少对美国的依赖,身为小国应该保持中立,

五, 设立中华文化研究中心,

六, 恢复南大校名,恢复以华语为主流,并以华语教科目以及考试,来拉近跟中国的关系

, 加强跟马来西亚的经济合作,共创经济圈,

, 设立马来文化与语言研究中心,以拉近跟马来西亚的关系

, 让新马两国公民自由出入境,废除两国公民的工作准证,房屋税,入境税等等,

, 全面改革我们的教育制度,注重自由创意,独立思考能力,公民道德等等

 
 
 
What if one day, we lose the advantage of this geographical location, would we still be able to continue this prosperity and stability?

We are not only faced with the strategic interests of China because if the development and control of transport routes, so that our waterways are seriously threatened and we might lose our quality geographical location.

Who is our country going to depend on for survival in future?

Singapore is a country with no natural resources. We are able to have today's achievements due to our geographical location, the previous fine planning, strict management of the society, economy and autonomous education. As such, the Government could, through education, economic needs and self-discpline, penetrate the sub-consciousness of the citizens to create a high-quality and superior people, because it's the only way the ruling party may efficiently develop our country's economic direction in accordance to the international situation to enable us to have today's prosperity and social stability.

If one day, we lose the advantage of this geographical location, and the ruling party can not create a national model for its own benefit, would we still be able to continue this prosperity and stability?

What worries me about the commnity today is this - because the ruling party has opened the doors of Singapore widely, attracting in a lot of foreign population, so that the citizens of our community doping different nationalities of the world, different cultures and social attitudes.Some of them were not even educated in Singapore during their childhood, hence have not been instilled with the self-discipline of our ruling party's educational system; this is also to say that the ruling party would have great difficulty controlling the thinking of these new citizens to reach the desired effect of our economy and disciplinary system.  On top of that, advancement in communications technology has seemed compress the space in this world, our autonomous educational system has been thoroughly defeated by influence of external parties via the Internet.  The ruling party is not able to monitor all the information on the Internet nor ban it, so now even some of our own young and middle-aged citizens have their own political ideology, outgrowing the economic and disciplinary subconsciousness implanted into them since young by the ruling party to form their own set of opinions and ideas that do not waver. This forms two of today's problems faced by the community.

These two social problems have caused the ruling party to feel the need to attach great importance to their own interests and votes. Therefore they must always take into account the public interest and public sentiment in response to certain policies that may invoke dissatisfaction.

As the ruling party can no longer maintain a tough stance as before, or to implement some policies that may be undesirable, It makes it more difficult to meet the challenges of the flexible international situation. In this way, our country is not able to get rid of the risk of facing opposition in its democratic, freedom and economic development.

This also results in the ruling party not being able to be like before - formulating a fine and long-term development policy and planning education and training budget

It is necessary to have talents to achieve national economic development goals, so we are not only faced with the strategic interests of China because if the development and control of transport routes, so that our waterways are seriously threatened and we might lose our quality geographical location. Even our only resouces - Human Capital, due to network technology innovation, change of thinking, people are demanding for more freedom and democracy, following the degradation of social consciousness, we may ultimately have to leave our home territory in order to have a better life.

We must understand the times, and understand the current situation, to protect the interests of our own future; Personally, I think we need to take the following measures:

Let us first start with the electoral system. The existing electoral system must be changed with the abolition of GRCs, management committees and members of non-constituency system, and then to vote for political parties to allocate seats in Parliament to ensure that there are different political parties in power, and political pluralism concepts involved in the formulation of national policy;

Secondly, before we are able to strengthen the national education and identity of the state and society, we should suspend the admission of new citizens;

Thirdly, although history cannot be neglected, we already have close ties with communist countries in political, cultural, economic and military exchanges, it is necessary to remove the contradictions of thoughts, behaviour and strategy. Politicians need to have humanity, showing concern towards the feelings of his country's leaders, so there is no need to advocate anti-communism;

Fourth, begin to gradually reduce dependency on the United States, as a small country we should remain neutral;

Fifth, the establishment of the Chinese Culture Research Centre; to enhance the relationship with China;

Sixth, to restore the reputation of the Great South, a return to using Chinese language as the mainstream, and teach courses and exams in Mandarin;

Seventh, to strengthen economic cooperation with Malaysia, to create economic cycle;

Eighth,  to set up the Malay culture and language research centre; to enhance the relationship with Malaysia;

Ninth, establish Singapore-Malaysia bilateral civil liberties, immigration, the abolition of the citizens of the two countries work permit, housing tax, entry tax, etc.,

Lastly, a comprehensive reform of our education system, focusing on freedom of creativity, independent thinking, civic morality, national philosophy and psychological qualities etc.
 
 
 
 

Sunday, 12 April 2015

Neighborhood Estate Harvesting

我支持这项活动,因为我在2011年竞选时,它是我的竞选计划书中的其中一个项目。当时有人还曾经把我提出的计划当成笑话看,如今三巴旺推出在区里种菜,把收成送低收入家庭和团体。

希望能够看到更多选区也能让退休或是失业的居民在区里种菜给供应自己食用另外三分之二再送给低收入家庭和团体。




I am in favour of this activity, because it was one of the suggestions listed in my proposal during my election campaign in 2011. During that time, there were those who mocked my proposal, but look - Sembawang is currently carrying out the idea of growing vegetation within the estates, and distributing them to low-income families and organisations. I hope that there would be more estates allowing the retirees or unemployed individuals do some farming within the estates in order to feed themselves and also disseminate to other low-income families and organisations.

Saturday, 11 April 2015

Fundraisers for the schools

学校不是有教育部津贴吗?学生是去学校学习筹款的吗?到底这些学校真的需要这么多钱吗?


 

 

Aren't the schools subsidised by the Ministry of Education? Do students go to school to learn fundraising skills? Do these schools really need so much funds?