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Identity

This tag is associated with 2 posts

12 Years A SAP Student, And Nothing (Chinese) To Show For It

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What, in other words, is the value of an SAP education today? And how do the experiences vary? Even before a broader discourse on changes to SAP schools – whether they should be abolished, or they should cater to mother tongues of Bahasa Melayu and Tamil – do we know enough about the effectiveness of an SAP education, especially from the perspective of students? For the overwhelming assumption seems to be that an SAP education, with the focus on bilingualism and cultural immersion, necessarily confers lifelong benefits. Continue reading →

To Be A Singaporean

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Maybe it is this grandiose, meaningless chase for an identity which blinds us to the diversity Singapore is home to. Points of difference that Dr. Wan has resolved to shy away from. I think the growing interest in human interest stories on the Internet and in the mainstream media is no coincidence, since these narratives embody not only personal endeavours, struggles and triumphs, but are often representative of challenges to entrenched norms. Beyond tales of rags-to-riches, it is the individual who has succeeded through a non-academic route, the individual moving to a non-profit after years of nine-to-five routines, and individuals making a difference through small gestures, musings, or campaigns. Continue reading →