President Scholarship & CCA & Sports

[scroobal]

Why is it that we can't seem to get good academic scholars who are well rounded. Did they give up sports to concentrate on academic subjects. I am aware that CCA criteria has been tweaked years back to cover up the lack of physical related acitivites with things like advocacy, volunteer work etc.

Is this what we want from the next generation.

When I see well educated and and well placed angmos amongst out expats taking part in sports in the various leagues and in clubs, they seem to have skills, prowess and understanding of these sports. The locals that take part tend to be fitter but the lack of skills and knowledge is clear to see.

Now I see many teams with all angmos who are older thrashing the shit of the younger locals.

Only Sepak Takraw has been spared.

Happen to be in a conversation in the UK over Rhodes Scholarship and Singapore's lack of depth in sports is an apparent standout.

ps. the cake of course goes to this year's president scholar Daniel Ong's dad who actually said that it was his decision for the family to stay in HDB to provide Daniel with a down to earth feeling. The dad should get the Order of Temasek (1st Class)

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

What I find strange is why the need to send scholars overseas to read Law and Medicine when NUS claims to be in the top league when it comes to these 2 disciplines?

As for the Rhodes, I have long since given up any respect for the local ones ever since Desmond Koh and Joscelin Yeo were given the awards.

Why is it that we can't seem to get good academic scholars who are well rounded. Did they give up sports to concentrate on academic subjects. I am aware that CCA criteria has been tweaked years back to cover up the lack of physical related acitivites with things like advocacy, volunteer work etc.

Is this what we want from the next generation.

When I see well educated and and well placed angmos amongst out expats taking part in sports in the various leagues and in clubs, they seem to have skills, prowess and understanding of these sports. The locals that take part tend to be fitter but the lack of skills and knowledge is clear to see.

Now I see many teams with all angmos who are older thrashing the shit of the younger locals.

Only Sepak Takraw has been spared.

Happen to be in a conversation in the UK over Rhodes Scholarship and Singapore's lack of depth in sports is an apparent standout.

ps. the cake of course goes to this year's president scholar Daniel Ong's dad who actually said that it was his decision for the family to stay in HDB to provide Daniel with a down to earth feeling. The dad should get the Order of Temasek (1st Class)

 

[Alu862]

Why is it that we can't seem to get good academic scholars who are well rounded. Did they give up sports to concentrate on academic subjects. I am aware that CCA criteria has been tweaked years back to cover up the lack of physical related acitivites with things like advocacy, volunteer work etc.

Is this what we want from the next generation.

When I see well educated and and well placed angmos amongst out expats taking part in sports in the various leagues and in clubs, they seem to have skills, prowess and understanding of these sports. The locals that take part tend to be fitter but the lack of skills and knowledge is clear to see.

Now I see many teams with all angmos who are older thrashing the shit of the younger locals.

Only Sepak Takraw has been spared.

Happen to be in a conversation in the UK over Rhodes Scholarship and Singapore's lack of depth in sports is an apparent standout.

ps. the cake of course goes to this year's president scholar Daniel Ong's dad who actually said that it was his decision for the family to stay in HDB to provide Daniel with a down to earth feeling. The dad should get the Order of Temasek (1st Class)

Why must we even have the scholarship system? If you are too poor to study overseas, Banks should provide loans for the students. Scholarships SHOULD NOT go to rich families. Scholarships in Singapore are not scholarships by true meaning. Do you mean a 19 year old with 4 As 3 S knows enough to work in MFA/Mindef? Their British/American/European counter parts have to head through university first, gain experience before they can even try that route.

 

[suteerak1099]

they enjoy putting on displays to shoot themselves in the foot since long time back. if its the queen's scholar, well, its quite obvious where the scholar ends up studying. then, the irony comes, when the president's scholars arent studying in local varisities instead...

from this longstanding episode, since decades back.... r we convinced that our local varsities can hold a candle to those overseas then??? or should we say, they just love spending/wasting tax payer's $$$???

no no... i think the main reason y they send the scholars overseas, is for fear that our local (non-scholars) might outshine them. while its perfectly ok for our scholars to scrape the borders while studying abroad.

 

[scroobal]

What I find strange is why the need to send scholars overseas to read Law and Medicine when NUS claims to be in the top league when it comes to these 2 disciplines?

As for the Rhodes, I have long since given up any respect for the local ones ever since Desmond Koh and Joscelin Yeo were given the awards.

Going overseas helps people who eventually going to decide policies have a global and cosmopolitan outlook. The academdic discipline for generalist curriculumn is secondary.

Agree with you totally on the desmond and Jocelyn Rhodes scholarship. Its a joke where singapore is concerned.

 

[scroobal]

Why must we even have the scholarship system? If you are too poor to study overseas, Banks should provide loans for the students. Scholarships SHOULD NOT go to rich families. Scholarships in Singapore are not scholarships by true meaning. Do you mean a 19 year old with 4 As 3 S knows enough to work in MFA/Mindef? Their British/American/European counter parts have to head through university first, gain experience before they can even try that route.

Scholarships are meant to recognise outstanding achievements in academia firstly. Its covers all, poor to rich. Those who are promising but unable to finance education do have many other scholarships, grants and bursaries.

 

[scroobal]

no no... i think the main reason y they send the scholars overseas, is for fear that our local (non-scholars) might outshine them. while its perfectly ok for our scholars to scrape the borders while studying abroad.

Logic does not seem right. These guys outscored their cohort while in A levels so naturally they can in the main outscore them again if they are all confined to local Unis.

 

[suteerak1099]

Logic does not seem right. These guys outscored their cohort while in A levels so naturally they can in the main outscore them again if they are all confined to local Unis.

since they can surely outscore their cohorts in the varisities, then its quite funny that they should do modules overseas instead. i mean, wat good is doing law overseas, when the legislative system is irrelevant to ours?

unless we're saying there's dbl standards somewhere, when citizens pursue law oversease arent allowed to practice here, bt their scholars can? of is the scholar pursuing the paper for the sake of getting a paper, as he/she is alraedy promised an iron rice bowl - hence, regardless of discipline pursued abroad wont make any difference.

 

[scroobal]

since they can surely outscore their cohorts in the varisities, then its quite funny that they should do modules overseas instead. i mean, wat good is doing law overseas, when the legislative system is irrelevant to ours?

It basically to send our top minds to the best tertiary institutions. Until we reach that standard, it best to send them overseas. It also helps to build character.

Parents who can afford it have sent their kids overseas even when they qualify for local institutions.

Its no different to buying a plasma TV. If you have the money, you buy a foreign set if it is widely regarded as the best.

 

[suteerak1099]

It basically to send our top minds to the best tertiary institutions. Until we reach that standard, it best to send them overseas. It also helps to build character.

Parents who can afford it have sent their kids overseas even when they qualify for local institutions.

Its no different to buying a plasma TV. If you have the money, you buy a foreign set if it is widely regarded as the best.

well, the issue of being able to afford sending kids abroad for further studies is subject to individuals pockets. bt i think u've also gotta understand that the local unis cant accomodate the number of local applicants. a good proportion has been allocated for foreign students, denying positions for locals who need the education just as much.

its also ironic that they'd deny credit transfers for dilpoma holders, who've legit credits from local polytechnics, making many of them start from yr1 as do our A-level students. while our diploma holders have direct access to graduating or honors yr in foreign universities.

as i've also queried earlier, while law graduants from foreign varisities encounter problems practicing their profession back in home soil, wat sense does it make to send our scholar abroad to read law?

 

[angry_one]

No, the original purpose of scholarships, as understood when first practised in ancient China, was to lift poor, clever people out of their social class and give them a chance in life. But soon that was abused - sons of rich, important court officials were winning all the scholarships, due obviously to nepotism.

And that's the same problem facing our system. When you fill the form, they actually ask about who your parents are and what they are doing. Many applicants actually attach a 'letter of recommendation' from some uncle/kin working in some important govt post. Scholarships are now trophies for parents to show off in elite family gatherings. And many scholars perform horribly when serving their bond, or even flunk their uni exams.

It's obvious that you cant judge a person's future performance from 'Air level' results - that's why we must scrap this silly system. Let the civil service hire from the open market, not give these brats planned career paths. As for the poor, smart students, give them interest-free loans, or make education free for all citizens.

Scholarships are meant to recognise outstanding achievements in academia firstly. Its covers all, poor to rich. Those who are promising but unable to finance education do have many other scholarships, grants and bursaries.

 

[suteerak1099]

...... Scholarships are now trophies for parents to show off in elite family gatherings. And many scholars perform horribly when serving their bond, or even flunk their uni exams.

It's obvious that you cant judge a person's future performance from 'Air level' results - that's why we must scrap this silly system. Let the civil service hire from the open market, not give these brats planned career paths. As for the poor, smart students, give them interest-free loans, or make education free for all citizens.

couldnt agree more. for those who cant afford, they call it bursery, for those who can afford, they call it scholarship. when factually, it shouldve been fair n based on individual's calibre.

technically, a scholar merely means he's good at his academics/curricullum, n doesnt mean that he's blessed with the skills necessary to lead. while the career path & promotion in any of the civil/public sector is going by year marking.

needless to say for scholars, they're careers already mapped for them from the day they put the pen to the paper. in some cases, even the 2nd career is also planned ahead of their time.