Someone agrees with me!
Looks like there is someone with agrees with me on the lack of racial mixing in our primary and secondary schools. I wonder what MOE's reply will be.Feb 22, 2006
Would MOE have racial quotas for schools?
THE issue of racial quotas for HDB blocks has been defended robustly by the Government and justifiably so.
Creating an environment where the different races coexist peacefully with opportunities for interaction is of paramount importance. The correctness of this policy is undeniable. Equally vital is the avoidance of racial enclaves.
When it comes to primary schools, however, it seems to be a totally different matter. Within my neighbourhood, there are some primary schools which are almost exclusively Chinese, while some have disproportionately high numbers of Malay pupils. In fact, one may not be faulted for labelling some of them as 'Chinese' schools. One wonders how realistic the lessons on racial harmony are for pupils in these schools.
What's disturbing is the attitude of the parents. A major factor affecting their choice of a primary school is racial composition. Certain schools are eschewed by Chinese parents because there are 'too many Malays' while Malay parents prefer to enrol their children in these very schools for the same reason.
This situation should not be tolerated as racial biases are usually formed during one's formative years and tend to become irrationally entrenched. Would the Ministry of Education consider implementing racial quotas for primary schools?
Teo Teck Seng
posted by at82 @ 2/22/2006 11:48:00 AM
5 Comments:
I actually do not agree with you.
School allocations should be best accorded to the schools involved. Trying to raise any racial quota, be it HDB flats or schools, is actually quite meaningless and time consuming.
It really demeans us Singaporeans as a society, that we need such micro-management technics for our young.
Hmmm i think it is impt for the young Singaporean to be expose to other races. Especiallly during primary school time when our values are being formed.
Anyway that is just my opinion. ;)
I understand your opinion here.
Yes, Singaporean kids should be exposed to other races, and this kind of exposure is good. But do we need another racial quota?
Instead of allowing for a more liberalized nation, are you sure we want the govt to yet again step in into our lives and dictate just how many members of my race or other races I am expected to study with?
Its about time to let things run its natural cause, instead of resorting to yet more social engineering.
Well, while i disagree wif the tight racial quota in HDB, I feel that racial quota in primary schools is good idea
I think that by having such quota it will foster a better understanding between different races than what HDB quotas can achieve. 2ndly it is very unlikely that such quota would impose financial hardship on the populace.
Racial quotas, be it applied in HDBs or schools by a tightly controlled country like Singapore, means basically the same thing: Social Engineering.
It represents the ineptness of Singaporeans to think for themselves: Everything that is even remotely wrong with society, the government must be on hand to carry out damage control.
To impose racial quotas in schools is an unnecessary measure, simply because most schools have a good mix of racial groups without any fixed racial quotas. Of course, there are probably a few schools which cater to a certain creed/religion, but that is fine, because schools must be allowed some measure of autonomy in order to function efficiently.
In short, my final analysis is still the same: Abolish social quotas. It demeans Singaporeans, and renders the rights of Singaporeans non-existent.
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