Since the publication of the article "Bond Free" in the Straits Times on 9 Sept, many have given their 2 cents to the debate on what they think about scholarships and speaking out against the youth nowadays hesitant about being tied down by bonds. Lucian Teo also joined in the foray giving his point of view, which was very much against linking morality and contract. On friday, one Edmund Lam jumped in to declare to the world that he is proud to serve his bond, and wonders what is wrong with today's youth and why they are reluctant to serve the nation.
I'd hate to jump into this mess, but apart from all these perhaps there is one perspective which is little heard. The voice of the unhappy scholar. The last we heard from an unhappy government scholar is probably Chen Jiahao, whose blog was forced to close down by the threat of legal action from Uncle PY. Others, like Hector Yee, just went away and probably never will come back.
I wouldn't be writing this if not for a good friend of mine. He was a scholar from one of the statutory boards and got his degree from an overseas university. Grateful for the chance, he came back to serve. Only to be disappointed.
Firstly, they gave him a crap pay, much lower than what his peers are getting. Nothing much he can do, since he is contractually bonded. So much for those shouting morality on top of their voice. Not sure how THAT could hold when you don't even pay someone who's bonded a decent salary.
Secondly, the statutory board kept restructuring, which was very disrupting for his kind of work. The vision of the organization also kept changing, with the management never seeming to decide on what exactly the aim of the organization should be. I mean, what can be worse than being in a place where your bosses don't even know what's important and what's not ?
Lastly, the career prospects are miserable. The management seemed to decide SOMEHOW, that promotion can only be meted out only after a certain number of years. So even if you are a top performer, you can't get promoted unless you are in that position for a number of years. You probably think that its reasonable. Well, not if they've got like twenty grades for you to work through ! But the most unfair thing is that this policy is not universally applied to the whole statutory board. Imagine people of similar capability from other departments zooming past you and all you can do is to kick the wall.
My dear good friend is dying to get out of the place. He wasn't asking for much. All he was asking was just to be treated decently and equally, and not even specially. He was grateful for chance that was given to him, BUT, giving a person a chance doesn't mean you've got the right to take away his career. He is a living example that being a scholar doesn't necessarily mean that he should be grateful to the government for life. If you are not prepared to give a person a career, then don't complain when they break bond.
I'm sorry if you think that my friend is asking too much. As a recipient of a scholarship, perhaps some will think that the recipient owes the organization for life. So much so that the scholar should give up his career in repayment. But understand this, if a person is talented, even if he doesn't get a scholarship from the organization, he will find success elsewhere. With the government complaining of dwindling talents in this tiny dot, so much that we have to import them, perhaps it will be more prudent to treat your own talents better. Screaming morality will not get you anywhere, especially when you yourself attempts to chain people using monetary terms.
For the more street-smart students nowadays looking for bond-free scholarships, good for you. You have understood what most whinners fail to see, that with a bond, even if you are unhappy with your work or your boss, you are stuck. When your career is at stake, forget about "serve the nation" and whatever nonsense people will taunt you with. Ultimately, they will not live your life or suffer in your position. And for males, we have ALREADY served our nation. So there.
I'd hate to jump into this mess, but apart from all these perhaps there is one perspective which is little heard. The voice of the unhappy scholar. The last we heard from an unhappy government scholar is probably Chen Jiahao, whose blog was forced to close down by the threat of legal action from Uncle PY. Others, like Hector Yee, just went away and probably never will come back.
I wouldn't be writing this if not for a good friend of mine. He was a scholar from one of the statutory boards and got his degree from an overseas university. Grateful for the chance, he came back to serve. Only to be disappointed.
Firstly, they gave him a crap pay, much lower than what his peers are getting. Nothing much he can do, since he is contractually bonded. So much for those shouting morality on top of their voice. Not sure how THAT could hold when you don't even pay someone who's bonded a decent salary.
Secondly, the statutory board kept restructuring, which was very disrupting for his kind of work. The vision of the organization also kept changing, with the management never seeming to decide on what exactly the aim of the organization should be. I mean, what can be worse than being in a place where your bosses don't even know what's important and what's not ?
Lastly, the career prospects are miserable. The management seemed to decide SOMEHOW, that promotion can only be meted out only after a certain number of years. So even if you are a top performer, you can't get promoted unless you are in that position for a number of years. You probably think that its reasonable. Well, not if they've got like twenty grades for you to work through ! But the most unfair thing is that this policy is not universally applied to the whole statutory board. Imagine people of similar capability from other departments zooming past you and all you can do is to kick the wall.
My dear good friend is dying to get out of the place. He wasn't asking for much. All he was asking was just to be treated decently and equally, and not even specially. He was grateful for chance that was given to him, BUT, giving a person a chance doesn't mean you've got the right to take away his career. He is a living example that being a scholar doesn't necessarily mean that he should be grateful to the government for life. If you are not prepared to give a person a career, then don't complain when they break bond.
I'm sorry if you think that my friend is asking too much. As a recipient of a scholarship, perhaps some will think that the recipient owes the organization for life. So much so that the scholar should give up his career in repayment. But understand this, if a person is talented, even if he doesn't get a scholarship from the organization, he will find success elsewhere. With the government complaining of dwindling talents in this tiny dot, so much that we have to import them, perhaps it will be more prudent to treat your own talents better. Screaming morality will not get you anywhere, especially when you yourself attempts to chain people using monetary terms.
For the more street-smart students nowadays looking for bond-free scholarships, good for you. You have understood what most whinners fail to see, that with a bond, even if you are unhappy with your work or your boss, you are stuck. When your career is at stake, forget about "serve the nation" and whatever nonsense people will taunt you with. Ultimately, they will not live your life or suffer in your position. And for males, we have ALREADY served our nation. So there.
18 comments:
September 22, 2008 11:45 AM
woah~~~
sounds like it has a very heavy s'pore background to it
September 23, 2008 6:00 PM
If u are the son (scholarship holder) of some ministers, then things will be diff. You will be well taken care off n promoted within very short period of time. Hard luck to our ordinary guys.
September 24, 2008 10:36 AM
You went in with yr eyes open, you want to have the cake and eat it, you think the world owes you a living, you think you deserve better. Everthing is abt you, but abt others?
September 24, 2008 10:51 AM
To the anonymous above:
That's what many people say, because they are not in that position. When my friend took up the scholarship, the work environment was very different from what it is now. During his study, the place went through reorganization after reorganization, and it became a horrible place to work in. And there's nothing he could have done about it.
Anyway, the article is to tell people that there's nothing wrong with bond free scholarships, don't let assholes tell you otherwise. Once you are bonded, even if they screw you, there's nothing much you can do about it.
The world doesn't owe anyone a living, we all know that. But we all deserve better when we fight for it. Only losers sit there, do nothing about it and whine.
September 24, 2008 11:45 AM
Senior scholars bully fresh scholar in the civil service !
Your expectation is a 5 star working environment, 5 star rewardsss ....for a start of your scholar career. The reality is not!
Why blame others?
If you fresh scholar can not fight now, can u fight upstair?
How reformer Deng Xiao Pin got his No. 1 position in PRC? He had been promoted 3 times and demoted 3 times.
September 24, 2008 12:11 PM
Dear Mr Weng,
Perhaps you might want to read my post more careful. My friend never expected any 5 star treatment. He only expected EQUAL treatment, which I don't think is too much.
When rot comes from the top, it doesn't make sense to stay and fight. Sometimes, life is about cutting losses and moving on.
I think many Singaporeans tend to generalize scholars. Not all scholars are high flyers. Of course, most Singaporeans are only exposed to those President's scholars, SAF scholars, PSC scholars..etc etc.. But there are other scholars as well, which were not treated as well as these. These are the ones which I'm writing about.
What most Singaporeans think is, if people give you money to study, then you should be happy about it, so even if they treat you like crap, don't complain. Fantastic attitude. So they better not complain about increases in living expenses, bus fares, MRT fares, food cost... etc. You voted for the government and they gave you NSS and ERS, so shut up.
September 24, 2008 1:08 PM
Dear Scholar,
Yes, I acknowledged your feeling as a scholar.
Our society has sky high expectation of a scholar. You can not change them. It is stressful!
You can change your self by droping the title subjectively (in your mind). Visualize your future now. Meditation do help you to become a happy person. Be happy when you wake-up in the morning. If you can't "ha ha ha", learn yoga from Theresa Hsu (109 years old), http://www.hearttoheartservice.org/
On issue of "EQUAL", it is impossible in this grobe. Tai Zi Tang 太子党 is common in PRC. USA is no exception (Senior Bush & Junior Bush)! Again, better let go this idealism if you want to be happy and most importantly be HEALTHY.
Best wishes
September 24, 2008 1:13 PM
Dear Mr Weng,
Sorry, my friend doesn't read my blog. :)
I don't think he has ever called himself a scholar. That title makes little difference to him. Its the bond that chains him that is frustrating him.
Equality only exist for people who fight for them. For people who are resigned to fate, then they will always be less equal than equal. :)
September 24, 2008 4:43 PM
That's because your friend is a stat board scholar. Only 2nd or 3rd rate people accept their best offer of 2nd rate scholarships like stat board scholarships. Scholarships come in different ranks and grades.
The stupid news story interviewed 2 losers, 1 who said he rejected a teaching scholarship from MOE to go to NUS and the other claimed to have been offered stat board scholarship.
The MOE gives out dozens of unprestigious teaching awards, some overseas. The people like the person featured in the news could only qualify for that. If he had an OMS offer, no one in the world would believe he'd turn it down to go to NUS.
The fact is, a scholarship is so much more about the 4 wonderful years you get to spend abroad. It's more about the career you get after. Scholarships come in different ranks and grades. And the career of a PSC scholar is vastly different from MOE teaching awards or stat board peeps.
If any of these 2nd rate people, including your friend was ever offered a President's Scholarship or SAFOS, you wouldn't be singing this tune or be in this tragic predicament. http://www.pscscholarships.gov.sg/SCHOLARSHIPS
There are scholars, and then there are scholars. Tong ren bu tong ming.
There is nothing wrong with the scholarship system. It's just that now the 3rd rate people are making more noise and whining. But their situations are only the result of their own calibre. 3rd rate scholars.
September 24, 2008 6:57 PM
Dear Anonymous,
I must say, you've got a great attitude. You don't happen to be a friend of Wee Shu Min, are you ? Your attitude seems to be very much aligned to hers.
Personally, I think its rather rude to be classifying people as second rate or third rate. Try as I might, but the only kind people which I can imagine doing that are.... assholes.
I guess it didn't occur to your first rate brain that some people take up scholarships not because of the prestige but simply to get an education without burdening their parents.
Ah well.. and I thought they teach children to think in school nowadays...
September 24, 2008 7:27 PM
The truth hurts. Because it's the truth.
If you think there are not ranks and grades in scholarships here, you are must be living in a dream world. There are ranks and grades to everything. From cars to bags to universities to scholarships.
You are sorely in denial if you think that all scholarships, universities, car or bags are the same. =D
Scholarships come in different ranks and grades, otherwise why would you have President's Scholars, SAFOS scholars, kuching kurap scholars, etc. The people who accept them are inherently different.
It's time to wake up from your denial.
Even medical students/doctors-to-be know this. Because they come from that circle (RJC, HCI) where they actually mingle with people who go on and win these prestigious scholarships =D Stupid two-bit job indeed.
http://ineednaloxonestat.blogspot.com/2005/02/gadzooks-i-have-test-tomorrow-not.html
****
over saturday, i also bumped into some old school friends at Borders, who have returned from their studies overseas and are now slaves of the maximum-wage administrative fast-tracking that is so appealing to youths 18-20 years old.
two SAFOS scholars and one i can't remember, but scholar anyway. by scholar, i mean the real type, not those who have to settle for less money, no PhD, no extended allowances and a stupid two-bit job like teaching or healthcare. not that the people who get these are two-bit, but of course everyone knows scholarships come in different grades and values, and the people who accept them are thus inherently different.
in my two minute repartee with them, saying hi, catching up, pre-judging them, and coming to a conclusion that scholars are a bunch of high society twats who are miles off the ground and brainwashed, they must have done the same and concluded medical students here are fools to have chosen a lesser-paying-for-effort career, can't dress with the times, am obsessed with exams ( well i was venting steam) and trying to make life difficult for them. in one minute.
not that we were enemies to begin with, but they belonged to the hi-so group in jc, the types that alternate girlfriends like musical chairs, and have continued to do so even now, or at least one of them still has, judging by his complete lack of regard even though we haven't met up in years. this is what SAFOS means - i have breeding, so fuck off, which isn't far from what i remember most SAFOS captains to be going around in the army. i later think to myself that this is also a very thai trait.
maybe i have approached this topic the wrong way. i should be in awe of them. should i have groveled and kissed their feet? maybe that might make me look better.
not all is lost. in the twenty seconds left i detected some awareness that they know they aren't especially well-liked. for the SAFOS people, i'm sure people boot-lick them to death but talk behind their backs anyway. this is only applicable for the other more humble SAFOS scholar, for the previous one mentioned still treats me like i'm invisible. maybe it's hard for him to see me because i'm so short and he was a basketball star and he's so tall and handsome he can't see me. i actually wonder why women go for these type of guys. i think of " cocky and funny" and i answer my own damn question.
i wonder where the four of us will be twenty years from now. i know i'd either be dead because i committed suicide, some kind of specialist here, or a GP in thailand. without guessing, one of the two SAFOS will be retired early, and be CEO of a GLC, and another will be CDF, and this encounter with them now won't matter to us one bit.
September 24, 2008 9:32 PM
I don't think anyone is denying that there are differences. But to say that these people are 2nd rate and 3rd rate is clearly very disrespectful.
I think its you who should be waking up... to be more respectful to your fellow human beings.
If your elite school is not going to teach you some manners, in the not too far future, I'm sure society will.
September 24, 2008 9:44 PM
I never said they are 2nd or 3rd rate human beings (subjective statement). I said they are 2nd or 3rd rate scholars (an objective statement).
It's a fact that stat board scholarships are 2nd rate.
A holder of stat board scholarship = a stat board scholar = 2nd/3rd rate scholar
This is a simple mathematical equation.
Unless you can disprove that 1) there are ranks and grades to govt scholarships (oh trust me there are and each tier is vastly different from the next) and 2) the people who accept them are thus inherently different, you can't disprove that they are 2nd/3rd scholars.
It's an objective statement on a state. Holder of a 3rd rate scholarship eg PUB scholar, would be a 3rd rate scholar. It's not meant to be a personal attack. A 3rd rate scholar may be very successful in other things, who knows?: starting his own food business, or going into agriculture, or becoming a singer etc.
September 24, 2008 9:55 PM
Dude, look at your own comments.
Let me quote.. "Only 2nd or 3rd rate people accept their best offer of 2nd rate scholarships like stat board scholarships."
and "It's just that now the 3rd rate people are making more noise and whining."
From the above, you are obviously talking about the PEOPLE, not the scholarships. And to say that the two fellas who rejected the scholarships are "losers" simply reflect what you are really thinking.
Perhaps you don't realize it yourself, but back in your mind, you are thinking that all these people are of a lower grade than you. Perhaps its time for some self-reflection.
Have a good life.
September 25, 2008 3:57 PM
I think I would qualify as what you guys call a 3rd rate 'overseas scholar'. Some more not even studying in UK or US. I am pretty sure that most of us would prefer to shed that title, but I think it is fair that most of us would prefer to have decent prospects in our employer organizations, in my case the hospitals. However, even though my pay would be quite mediocre by most standards, I have been given the opportunity to have my dream job as a speech pathologist and my parents are not burdened with my school fees. That, for me, is enough to sign on that contract. Of course, many 'third class scholars' do not end up where they would like to be, in which case I think their judgment when they jotted down their signatures was often suspect to say the least. They should have checked out from the beginning if the job and career path are what they would like and not buy into the incredible amount of false advertising out there every time results day comes around rather than blaming the employers when things don't work out as they had expected. If they did their homework before committing, it is still fair but unfortunate. Life is not a bed of roses, so everyone has to deal with it. Even if one is a 'scholar'.
September 27, 2008 11:00 AM
September 27, 2008 11:04 AM
Agree with crypt hitherto. Too many youngsters these days don't exercise rigorous enough consideration of the scholarships that are being offered. More often than not, they are bedazzled by the prospects of the prestige and the opportunity to go overseas.
It is very sad that many of my peers signed away a significant part of their future just so that they can have a foreign education. They often express regrets when they realize their folly.
Personally, I was offered an overseas scholarship from a stat board, but I did quite a bit of research, a hell lot of "homework" and after a rather onerous but extremely rewarding period of time, I am now at Yale, on a full scholarship from Yale itself.
And I dispute the fact that the pressure of a university's scholarship is just as tough as our singaporean ones. Ours have very exacting standards. I know of SG scholars who go into probation because they fail to hit a 90% grade for all their modules. I don't quite see the point in this.
Over here at Yale, in my bond-free condition, I'm unencumbered by all these *grade shackles*, liberated enough to even start a business venture plan. I couldn't have done that with all the stress from my potential bosses back home, nor with the thought that there wouldn't be a point to be creative anyway since I would be tied down.
I really wish singaporean students would stop thinking like sheep and start living for themselves. Bonded scholarships are not the only way to get a good education. I come from a poor family and it is easy to see a SG scholarship as the only way out, but now I see that as an escape route for lazy people*.
*Only in reference to those who take up scholarships that are not aligned to their passions, and only so that they can go overseas.
November 12, 2008 5:03 PM
Hi batfird, you are also of ad equal to the calibre of a 3rd rate scholar. Thats why you were only offered a 3rd rate scholarship. the difference between you and the 3rd rate scholars is that you chose to not accept it. Through this, we know now that people of the 3rd rate calibre also can get university financial aid from Yale.
There should be an improvement in the situation with more 3rd rate people realising that their 3rd rate scholarships are too crappy for the 6 year bond. That's why they are crying foul in the Straits Times saying things like "Scholarships are not worth it, i rather go to Noose *Nus*, the school for Chinese nationals and Banglas."
I say to these people: You see, the bond is only not worth it cos you only qualified for shit.
Like it or not, as long as the destination is US/UK, the bond is 6 years whether it's SAFOS scholarship or Shit Scholarship.
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