Forward Singapore: The role of education

ASK any Minister for Education in the last decade and he will tell you whenever he speaks with businesspeople he is frequently told a variation on the theme “our education system is to blame.” This comment is made in relation to employee attitudes, capabilities and employability. What exactly are the reasons for these comments from local and foreign businesspeople alike?

One reason is employers find it harder and harder to find employees with positive work attitudes, with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels of a business and with the sensitivity to work effectively in cross-border and cross-cultural teams. None of this is rocket science but the fact so many employers complain about Singapore job candidates suggests we are not equipping enough people to be effective when they leave formal education and join the workforce.

It seems to me our society is still obsessed with educating children and students to pass examinations rather than really educating them – that is, equipping them - to lead effective, happy, productive and useful lives. Our society values the wrong measures. Here, high examination scores are still seen as a proxy for retained knowledge and the ability to apply it. As we all know, there is not always a direct correlation between these outcomes. High examination scores alone do not an employable citizen make. That being the case, things need to change to take Singapore and business forward.