|
|
speaking up for nature in singapore
|
| call
on youths of singapore to speak up PM's call on youths | list of all articles speak up for nature: why bother? | what others have spoken | feedback channels The Straits Times, 1 Sep 04 Webchat at breakneck pace with overseas Singaporeans Views at Chinese-speaking community's feedback session came at more measured pace but ideas aplenty from both By Daryl Loo and Soh Wen Lin LIKE many things in cyberspace, last night's webchat with overseas Singaporeans on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally speech was frank, fast and furious. Questions were posed at breakneck pace, despite attempts by Feedback Supervisory Panel chairman Wang Kai Yuen and panel member Amy Khor to keep things in order. The webchat at the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports contrasted with the goings-on at a separate session for the Chinese-speaking community, hosted by supervisory panel vice-chairman Seng Han Thong at the NTUC headquarters at One Marina Boulevard. There, views from about 35 businessmen, employees, retirees and students were also diverse, but were expressed at a more measured pace. They touched on topics including restructuring the economy, education, boosting the birth rate and engaging the young. At the webchat session, there was particular focus on local education. That did not surprise Dr Khor because at least a third of the 30 taking part from the United States, Australia and China were students in their twenties. One participant, 'jasonbay', advocated smaller class sizes so students get better attention, while 'zak' wanted Singapore politics taught as a subject so the young could better understand the Government and how it worked. 'jchau' sought a one-stop service centre for Singaporeans keen on returning after a long period overseas as 'it can be daunting for Singaporeans to uproot themselves again to move back'. It was something Dr Wang said the Contact Singapore network could look into. Dr Khor, a first-time webchat participant, felt that while messy at times, such sessions are a useful gauge of opinions of those overseas. And there were ideas worth exploring, such as from 'siewpeng' who suggested that stay-at-home mums be employed as teacher's assistants in classrooms. That would free up teachers to focus on their core role, and also provide an employment opportunity for mothers. On feedback via webchats, Dr Wang said that while 'every medium has a role, some of the younger generation prefer this medium'. There were others, however, who still preferred traditional methods. One teenager at the session for the Chinese-speaking community suggested that if the Government wants to engage Singapore's youths, it should act locally. 'Each MP could visit the schools in their own ward regularly, rather than a few ministers meeting only small select groups on a national level,' he said. But whether based here or overseas, suggestions to make tangible changes to some policies were a hot topic. 'siewpeng', who is married to a Briton, asked if it was time Singapore introduced dual citizenship. One Singapore-based parent asked if the Government could look beyond helping parents in their children's infant years, by making it easier for a third and fourth child to get into a primary school close to their home, for example. Another suggested perks like Economic Restructuring Shares should be awarded according to family size rather than by the size of one's house. |
||
website©ria tan 2003 www.wildsingapore.com |