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Class divide, Context, Conclusion - Coggle Diagram
Class divide
In Singapore
Meritocracy hardened over time
From fluid meritocracy where people of all backgrounds have shot at climbing socioeconomic ladder
At risk of becoming academic aristocracy
Very fortunate to have clean administration
Leadership model needs to be disrupted
Academic-based meritocracy system need to evolve
Limits to competitive system
Solution?
Compassionate meritocracy
Emphasis on helping others, level playing field (more equal starting points)
Calls on those who succeed on merit to help disadvanatged
HOWEVER, may just perpetuate class division in different dimension
People may feel like benefactors and bestow
CIP expose students to poverty
Perpetuate system where one group considered norm while other to be "helped"
1 more item...
Academically gifted go on to have good jobs
Assume leadership positions
Feel alienated from rest
Feel kinship for those like themselves
Structure policies to reward same kind of people
Lead to system where "elite" reward people like themselves and lose empathy for others
Solutions
Higher wages to equalise divide
Low-wage jobs often open to foreign labour
Common mantra Singaporeans do not want these jobs
e.g in Domestic Cleaning service sector, wages gone up swiftly from $5-$10 to $15-$20
Foreign domestic maids usually tied to 1 family
Many families dont want live in maid
Have to rely on locals, forced to pay accordingly
Change academic oriented curriculum
Real-world projects involving different skills/aspects
Group randomly
Students who excel in different areas help each other
Learn empathy
Help renew confidence
Put together go-kart engine, work on class quilt, garden etc
Examinable
Schools
Expose students to people from diverse backgrounds
Workers
Feel respected, valued
Proud of what they did
Currently, blue collared workers may feel shame when their friends are in higher jobs
Bred generation of hyper competitive students
Hot topic in 2017 into 2018
Survey by Institute of Policy Studies
Class was biggest divide in Singapore society, not race religion etc
Two matrices of class differences that are important
Type of housing (HDB, landed)
School went to ("elite" or neighborhood)
Two Singapores
Politicians must be familiar with both
Risk of seperation
Context
Singapore pride as classless society from 70s to 90s
Anyone with education valued, those with ability rose through ranks quickly
Conclusion
Always in society
Need scan our social and political systems to make sure equality