SINGAPOREANS are holding their own against foreigners when it comes to studies.  Although recent examination results have put the spotlight on the achievements of foreigners, principals and others contacted said that Singaporeans are still at the top of the tree in this regard.  Checks by The Straits Times also show that Singaporeans are outperforming their foreign counterparts.

Source: ST

Given that the Straits Times is really the State Times, it’s a habit for most of us to look beneath the iceberg to discern the underlying state propaganda.  Quite a few of my friends agree that this report was to ’sayang’ the population after the rebuke by our founding father (see ‘National Geographic Interviews a Dinosaur’).

The government is playing a delicate balancing act.  While showing off the results of its foreign talent attraction policies, it also has to assuage the fears of locals who think they may be falling behind.  Singaporeans are, by nature, kiasi and kiasu, all thanks to the education system as many would say.  In this case, should parents be worried that a foreigner topped her cohort?  I think not.  Most will worry over their own children’s results and whether they make it to the schools of their choice.  I believe the marking system is fair and without favour - parents know this and understand that anyone else could be the top student.

What the State Times have done is to fan the flames of locals vs foreigners by overcompensating for what they, or the government actually, think are Singaporeans’ concerns that locals are falling behind (exacerbated by Lee Kuan Yew’s lack of ‘empathy’ – “If native Singaporeans are falling behind because “the spurs are not stuck into the hide,” that is their problem“).  Singaporeans will worry if foreigners are taking away slots in schools and of course our jobs.  We aren’t sore losers who worry when a talent out-scores our children.

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