As an advocate for compulsory education, I was disappointed to learn in August, that the Minister for Education would not consider introducing it. Later, I was relieved that the Minister has reconsidered the issue and a committee headed by Dr. Aline Wong was set up to study the feasibility of compulsory education till Primary Four. Following that, the press reported that the committee would now consider extending the compulsory period to six years.
While I am glad that the committee is studying the introduction of a six-year compulsory education, I strongly believe that to meet the needs of a present-day Singapore, this is not enough. Some people might say, something is better than nothing. To me, six years of compulsory education is but a half measure. It would not serve the purpose of stemming school drop-out rates, or raise the educational level of the younger generation. To achieve these goals, we must resolutely implement compulsory education for a longer period. In my opipion, ten years would be an ideal period. Let me state why.
Firstly, I believe the main purpose of compulsory education is to check drop-out rates for all grades in primary and secondary levels. Statistics have shown that a considerable number of students drop out of school at various grades, not only at primary one.
I have pointed out in an article published in Lianhe Zaobao in September that, school drop-outs constitute a serious wastage of education, for both the nation and the individual. A six-year education may be sufficient 30 years ago, but not so now in a knowledge-based and technologically-advanced society like Singapore.
Secondly, the average educational level of the people is still low, compared with neighbouring countries or region like South Korea, Hong Kong and the Philippines. A large proportion of Singapore workers are low-skilled, having only primary education. If we are to raise the educational level of the next generation, we have to make it compulsory for everyone to remain in school for at least 10 years, that is completing Secondary Four.
To meet the needs of the economy in the new millennium, we need a well-educated, highly-skilled work force. No amount of re-training can replace the solid basic education one receives in the early years of one's life. With the implementation of a ten-year compulsory education, we should be closer to the aim of raising the educational level of the population. Furthermore, this befits the status of an advanced nation, something we are aiming to achieve in the next century.
I would therefore suggest that the committee chaired by Dr. Wong consider compulsory education for 10 years, not six. As for its enforcement, I am confident that the committee will find ways to chieve it.
I wish to add that, enforcing compulsory education does not mean putting in prison parents who allow their child to drop out. I am sure a multi-pronged approach can be carefully worked out.
The process should not only involve schools and the families, but should also have the support of the community, the police and grassroots organisations. A combination of moral suasion—persuation, encouragement, counselling and cajoling, and impose fines or other forms of punishment. The law should only be used as a last resort to bring errant parents to their senses.
（The author is a Resouce Panelist for SPH's Chinese newspapers ）
六年強(qiáng)制教育還是不夠
我向來主張強(qiáng)制教育。八月間,當(dāng)我知道教育部長不準(zhǔn)備實(shí)施強(qiáng)制教育時,我當(dāng)然覺得很失望。后來,教育部重新考慮這課題,并設(shè)立一個由簡麗中博士主持的委員會,去探討能否實(shí)施四年強(qiáng)制教育。
近的消息是委員會將考慮把強(qiáng)制教育延至六年。
雖然我很樂意知道委員會考慮六年的強(qiáng)制教育,但我堅信六年強(qiáng)制教育,絕不適合現(xiàn)代新加坡的需求。也許有人會說：有勝于無。但我認(rèn)為六年強(qiáng)制教育是不完整的措施,實(shí)施起來,既不能扭轉(zhuǎn)輟學(xué)率,也不能提高一般國民的教育水平。要達(dá)到這雙重目的,我們須堅決地實(shí)施十年強(qiáng)制教育,讓我把理由敘述出來：
首先,我相信實(shí)施強(qiáng)制教育的主要目的是要去除中小學(xué)校內(nèi)各年級的輟學(xué)現(xiàn)象。統(tǒng)計數(shù)字告訴我們,在中學(xué)與小學(xué)各階段里,有數(shù)目相當(dāng)多的學(xué)生在中途退學(xué),而這并不限于小學(xué)開始的階段。我九月間在早報發(fā)表的文稿內(nèi),曾詳細(xì)提及：半途退學(xué),對國家與個人而言,都是一種教育損失；六年強(qiáng)制教育,在三十多年前也許是足夠的,但對目前的新加坡,我們須面對知認(rèn)型及高科技社會的各種挑戰(zhàn),六年委實(shí)是不足夠的。
其次,我國人民的普遍教育水平,比起韓國、香港、菲律賓等地還是很低。我們的勞工隊伍內(nèi),屬于低技能而只有小學(xué)程度的,還是占著很高的比例。假如我們要提升年輕一代的教育水平,我們須強(qiáng)制每名學(xué)生留在學(xué)校求學(xué)少10年,直至修完中四為止。為了適應(yīng)我國在21世紀(jì)的各種經(jīng)濟(jì)與人力需求,我們需有一批批受過良好教育而具有高度技能的工作隊伍；光是提供年長工人的再教育計劃,無論如何妥善,總不能比得上10年的基本學(xué)校教育。
因此,我們絕對須要實(shí)行10年強(qiáng)制教育,以使我們達(dá)到提升一般人民教育水平的目的。能夠做到這地步的話,也將會幫助我們在新世紀(jì)內(nèi),名副其實(shí)地進(jìn)入先進(jìn)國家的行列,因為先進(jìn)國家的國民,也必須具有良好的教育水平。
因此,我誠懇希望以簡麗中博士為首的委員會,將會考慮把強(qiáng)制教育延至10年,而非止于6年。至于如何實(shí)施,我們深信,該委員會會探索各種良方去解決問題。
我在此只想消除一些人的誤解,以為這強(qiáng)制教育的實(shí)施,就是要處罰子女半途退學(xué)的父母,使他們坐牢。事實(shí)并非如此,佳的辦法是采取多方面的合作,通過家庭、學(xué)校、鄰里、社區(qū)團(tuán)體、警方等共同協(xié)力幫助有意輟學(xué)的學(xué)生與家長。
以勸解、說服、輔導(dǎo)、誘導(dǎo)、鼓勵等軟硬兼施的方法,促使學(xué)生完成10年教育。采取法律手段應(yīng)是終的不得已的辦法,如罰款、監(jiān)禁等,迫使那些固執(zhí)或不負(fù)責(zé)的家長就范而已。
While I am glad that the committee is studying the introduction of a six-year compulsory education, I strongly believe that to meet the needs of a present-day Singapore, this is not enough. Some people might say, something is better than nothing. To me, six years of compulsory education is but a half measure. It would not serve the purpose of stemming school drop-out rates, or raise the educational level of the younger generation. To achieve these goals, we must resolutely implement compulsory education for a longer period. In my opipion, ten years would be an ideal period. Let me state why.
Firstly, I believe the main purpose of compulsory education is to check drop-out rates for all grades in primary and secondary levels. Statistics have shown that a considerable number of students drop out of school at various grades, not only at primary one.
I have pointed out in an article published in Lianhe Zaobao in September that, school drop-outs constitute a serious wastage of education, for both the nation and the individual. A six-year education may be sufficient 30 years ago, but not so now in a knowledge-based and technologically-advanced society like Singapore.
Secondly, the average educational level of the people is still low, compared with neighbouring countries or region like South Korea, Hong Kong and the Philippines. A large proportion of Singapore workers are low-skilled, having only primary education. If we are to raise the educational level of the next generation, we have to make it compulsory for everyone to remain in school for at least 10 years, that is completing Secondary Four.
To meet the needs of the economy in the new millennium, we need a well-educated, highly-skilled work force. No amount of re-training can replace the solid basic education one receives in the early years of one's life. With the implementation of a ten-year compulsory education, we should be closer to the aim of raising the educational level of the population. Furthermore, this befits the status of an advanced nation, something we are aiming to achieve in the next century.
I would therefore suggest that the committee chaired by Dr. Wong consider compulsory education for 10 years, not six. As for its enforcement, I am confident that the committee will find ways to chieve it.
I wish to add that, enforcing compulsory education does not mean putting in prison parents who allow their child to drop out. I am sure a multi-pronged approach can be carefully worked out.
The process should not only involve schools and the families, but should also have the support of the community, the police and grassroots organisations. A combination of moral suasion—persuation, encouragement, counselling and cajoling, and impose fines or other forms of punishment. The law should only be used as a last resort to bring errant parents to their senses.
（The author is a Resouce Panelist for SPH's Chinese newspapers ）
六年強(qiáng)制教育還是不夠
我向來主張強(qiáng)制教育。八月間,當(dāng)我知道教育部長不準(zhǔn)備實(shí)施強(qiáng)制教育時,我當(dāng)然覺得很失望。后來,教育部重新考慮這課題,并設(shè)立一個由簡麗中博士主持的委員會,去探討能否實(shí)施四年強(qiáng)制教育。
近的消息是委員會將考慮把強(qiáng)制教育延至六年。
雖然我很樂意知道委員會考慮六年的強(qiáng)制教育,但我堅信六年強(qiáng)制教育,絕不適合現(xiàn)代新加坡的需求。也許有人會說：有勝于無。但我認(rèn)為六年強(qiáng)制教育是不完整的措施,實(shí)施起來,既不能扭轉(zhuǎn)輟學(xué)率,也不能提高一般國民的教育水平。要達(dá)到這雙重目的,我們須堅決地實(shí)施十年強(qiáng)制教育,讓我把理由敘述出來：
首先,我相信實(shí)施強(qiáng)制教育的主要目的是要去除中小學(xué)校內(nèi)各年級的輟學(xué)現(xiàn)象。統(tǒng)計數(shù)字告訴我們,在中學(xué)與小學(xué)各階段里,有數(shù)目相當(dāng)多的學(xué)生在中途退學(xué),而這并不限于小學(xué)開始的階段。我九月間在早報發(fā)表的文稿內(nèi),曾詳細(xì)提及：半途退學(xué),對國家與個人而言,都是一種教育損失；六年強(qiáng)制教育,在三十多年前也許是足夠的,但對目前的新加坡,我們須面對知認(rèn)型及高科技社會的各種挑戰(zhàn),六年委實(shí)是不足夠的。
其次,我國人民的普遍教育水平,比起韓國、香港、菲律賓等地還是很低。我們的勞工隊伍內(nèi),屬于低技能而只有小學(xué)程度的,還是占著很高的比例。假如我們要提升年輕一代的教育水平,我們須強(qiáng)制每名學(xué)生留在學(xué)校求學(xué)少10年,直至修完中四為止。為了適應(yīng)我國在21世紀(jì)的各種經(jīng)濟(jì)與人力需求,我們需有一批批受過良好教育而具有高度技能的工作隊伍；光是提供年長工人的再教育計劃,無論如何妥善,總不能比得上10年的基本學(xué)校教育。
因此,我們絕對須要實(shí)行10年強(qiáng)制教育,以使我們達(dá)到提升一般人民教育水平的目的。能夠做到這地步的話,也將會幫助我們在新世紀(jì)內(nèi),名副其實(shí)地進(jìn)入先進(jìn)國家的行列,因為先進(jìn)國家的國民,也必須具有良好的教育水平。
因此,我誠懇希望以簡麗中博士為首的委員會,將會考慮把強(qiáng)制教育延至10年,而非止于6年。至于如何實(shí)施,我們深信,該委員會會探索各種良方去解決問題。
我在此只想消除一些人的誤解,以為這強(qiáng)制教育的實(shí)施,就是要處罰子女半途退學(xué)的父母,使他們坐牢。事實(shí)并非如此,佳的辦法是采取多方面的合作,通過家庭、學(xué)校、鄰里、社區(qū)團(tuán)體、警方等共同協(xié)力幫助有意輟學(xué)的學(xué)生與家長。
以勸解、說服、輔導(dǎo)、誘導(dǎo)、鼓勵等軟硬兼施的方法,促使學(xué)生完成10年教育。采取法律手段應(yīng)是終的不得已的辦法,如罰款、監(jiān)禁等,迫使那些固執(zhí)或不負(fù)責(zé)的家長就范而已。