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Put otherwise: Little is said about our biases attached to being at the top or being “special”, and the extent to which we are comfortable with confronting and questioning our privileges. Continue reading
Notwithstanding the broader historical discourse surrounding the Special Assistance Plan (SAP) and the implications of developing bilingual and elite Chinese students, better and more diverse evidence is needed to determine the extent to which SAP schools such as Hwa Chong Institution have been effective in giving “students the opportunity to mix with peers of different races and backgrounds through various activities” (ST, Mar. 22) and in promoting multicultural integration. Put otherwise, instead of pointing to a joint overseas community involvement programme trip with ITE College West, for instance, the school ought to be interested in: The first-hand perceptions and learning experience of the Hwa Chong and ITE students, whether they continue to make friends and maintain friendships with others of different cultures, as well as the overall suite of programmes and the number of students who participate and benefit. Continue reading
That the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are working to increase the diversity of both their scholarship applicants and recipients – for instance, by encouraging “more of those living in one- to three-room Housing Board flats and those from poorer families to apply for the scholarships” (ST, Jul. 21) – is encouraging, though they have to be more specific about what is meant by “diversity” and how it is measured and tracked over time. In addition, perhaps having defined diversity across race, gender, socio-economic status, as well as family or educational backgrounds, these metrics ought to be communicated more consistently. Continue reading
guanyinmiao's musings (Archived: July 2009 to July 2019) 