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Pre-school: Poorer children not disadvantaged?

Published

14 years ago

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Photo credit: Mysingapore Blog

by Leong Sze Hian

I refer to the articles “1 in 5 from poorer homes” (ST, Nov 25) and “Parliament turns down NMPs’ calls to legislate pre-school education” (Channel News Asia, Nov 25).

According to the articles, Minister of State for Education Masagos Zulkifli told Parliament that there are pupils from the bottom one-third of families who make it to the top one-third of PSLE performers. Children from these families on lower incomes and whose parents are less well educated form 20 per cent of such top scorers.

Does this mean that a child from a richer family has four times the chance compared to a poorer family, of being in the top one-third of PSLE scorers (80 divided by 20 per cent)?

Mr Masagos also cited figures to show that “one in eight undergraduates in public universities lives in a one-, two- or three-room flat. These smaller units make up 30 per cent of all Housing Board flats.”

He concluded that those from poorer households also continue to “climb up the education ladder”. This is incorrect, as the same statistics actually reveal that the chances of pupils from poorer households may have dropped from the 20 per cent at PSLE, to 12.5 per cent (one in eight) in university!

Another way of putting it may be – does it mean that a poorer family child may see his or her chances of being a university graduate, drop by another 37.5 per cent (12.5 divided by 20 per cent), from PSLE to university?

To what extent, has the rising costs of nursery, day-care, kindergarten, etc, impacted the academic performance probability of such children?

Moreover, I find it to be somewhat inappropriate to use income as the criteria to justify that poorer children are not overly disadvantaged at PSLE, and then use the type of HDB flat as the criteria for justificaion of the same argument in university.

This may be akin to what we call inconsistency in the use of data for analysis and to draw conclusions.

What is the income criteria used to define a lower-income family?

The HDB flat type may also not be the only or best indicator of family income and circumstances that may affect a child’s performance.

For example, some of those who live in larger flats, may have less disposable cash for their children’s education and related expenses, because of their larger commitments to mortgage payments, service and conservancy charges (S & CC), property tax, etc.

So, can we be given both the income and flat type statistics at both PSLE and university?

Also, more detailed statistics on the comparative performance of children from poorer versus richer families, at vrious household income percentiles and corresponding grades, may give a clearer picture of the impact of economic status on academic performance.

Such statistics could also be given historically, so that we can analyse whether the effect of status on performance has gone up or down over the years.

Almost all other countries in the world, like the Nordic countries, do not skew the financial benefits for children from birth to pre-school, to the advantage of higher-income families, like Singapore.

For example, child tax reliefs, tax rebates, matching contribution to child accounts, etc, do not benefit lower-income families that do not pay any income tax, or do not have the disposable cash to put into children accounts.

Aside from the disadvantages to children from poorer families up to pre-school and beyond, the selection criteria for scholarships, may also be skewed towards children from richer families, because of subjective criteria like extra-curricular and non-academic achievements and activities.

Children from poorer families may not have the funds or time to participate in non-academic activities.

Finally, statistics aside, there were 350 children who did not benefit from pre-school education before going to primary school, in 2009. How many of these children were arguably deprived of an equal start in life, because they came from poorer families?

After all, NMPs Viswa Sadasivan and Audrey Wong had merely proposed a motion for a comprehensive review of pre-school education in Singapore.

By denying even a review, so that there can be a comprehensive study of the issue, is in my view a lacking in compassion and a display of arrogance in brushing-of such an important problem that (without a review – how do we know how serious or widespread the problem is? ) Parliament should at least have voted on.

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Indonesia

Miss Universe cuts ties with Indonesia chapter after harassment allegations

The Miss Universe Organization severs ties with Indonesia franchise due to harassment claims. Malaysia edition canceled.

Women allege body checks before pageant. Investigation launched. Safety prioritized.

Indonesia winner to compete in November finale. Height requirement controversy.

Published

1 year ago

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14 August 2023

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WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — The Miss Universe Organization has cut ties with its Indonesia franchise, it announced days after allegations of sexual harassment, and will cancel an upcoming Malaysia edition.

In the complaint, more than a half dozen women said all 30 finalists for Miss Universe Indonesia were unexpectedly asked to strip for a supposed body check for scars and cellulite two days before the pageant’s crowning ceremony in Jakarta.

Their lawyer said Tuesday that five of the women had their pictures taken.

“In light of what we have learned took place at Miss Universe Indonesia, it has become clear that this franchise has not lived up to our brand standards, ethics, or expectations,” the US-based Miss Universe Organization posted Saturday night on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter.

It said that it had “decided to terminate the relationship with its current franchise in Indonesia, PT Capella Swastika Karya, and its National Director, Poppy Capella.”

It thanked the contestants for their bravery in coming forward and added that “providing a safe place for women” was the organization’s priority.

Jakarta police spokesman Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said Tuesday that an investigation into the women’s complaint has been launched.

The Indonesia franchise also holds the license for Miss Universe Malaysia, where there will no longer be a competition this year, according to the New York-based parent organizer.

In a lengthy statement posted to Instagram, Indonesia franchise director Capella denied involvement in any body checks.

“I, as the National Director and as the owner of the Miss Universe Indonesia license, was not involved at all and have never known, ordered, requested or allowed anyone who played a role and participated in the process of organizing Miss Universe Indonesia 2023 to commit violence or sexual harassment through body checking,” she wrote.

She added that she is against “any form of violence or sexual harassment.”

The Jakarta competition was held from 29 July to 3 August to choose Indonesia’s representative to the 2023 Miss Universe contest, and was won by Fabienne Nicole Groeneveld.

Miss Universe said it would make arrangements for her to compete in the finale, scheduled for November in El Salvador.

This year’s Indonesia pageant also came under fire for announcing a “significant change in this (year’s) competition guidelines” with the elimination of its minimum height requirement after it had crowned a winner.

In its statement, the Miss Universe Organization said it wanted to “make it extremely clear that there are no measurements such as height, weight, or body dimensions required to join a Miss Universe pageant worldwide.”

— AFP

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Malaysia

A Perodua service centre in Kuantan, Malaysia went viral for its strict dress code, Perodua responds

A dress code for vehicle servicing? A Malaysian car brand’s service centre dress code signage has puzzled netizens, raising queries about the need for attire rules during a routine service.

The manufacturer responded with an official statement after a flurry of comments, seeking to clarify and apologize.

Published

1 year ago

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10 August 2023

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MALAYSIA: A dress code signage positioned at a service centre belonging to a prominent Malaysian car brand has sparked bewilderment among Malaysian netizens, who question the necessity of adhering to attire guidelines for a simple vehicle servicing.

The signage explicitly delineates clothing items that are deemed unsuitable, including sleeveless tops, short skirts, abbreviated pants, and distressed jeans.

The car manufacturer swiftly found itself flooded with comments from both inquisitive and irked Malaysian netizens. This surge in online activity prompted the company to issue an official statement aimed at clarifying the situation and extending an apology.

In a post that gained significant traction on the social media platform, politician Quek Tai Seong of Pahang State, Malaysia, shared an image to Facebook on Monday (7 Aug).

The image showcased a dress code sign prominently displayed at a Perodua Service Centre in Kuantan. Within the post, Quek posed the question: “Is this dress code applicable nationwide, or is it specific to this branch?”

The signage reads, “All customers dealing with Perodua Service Kuantan 1, Semambu, are requested to dress modestly and appropriately.”

Adding visual clarity to these guidelines, the sign features illustrative graphics that explicitly outline clothing items deemed unacceptable, including sleeveless tops, short skirts, short pants, and ripped jeans.

Delineating the specifics of the dress code, the signage stipulates that male visitors are expected to don shirts accompanied by neckties, opt for long pants, and wear closed shoes.

Conversely, female visitors are advised to don long-sleeved shirts, full-length skirts, and closed-toe footwear.

Perodua’s dress code sparks online uproar

Following the rapid spread of the post, Perodua’s official Facebook page found itself inundated with comments from both intrigued and frustrated Malaysian netizens, all seeking clarifications about the newly surfaced dress code policy.

Amidst the flurry of comments, numerous incensed netizens posed pointed questions such as, “What is the rationale behind the introduction of such regulations by the management? We demand an explanation.”

Another netizen expressed their dissatisfaction, arguing against the necessity of the rule and urging Perodua to take inspiration from the practices of other 4S (Sales, Service, Spare Parts, and Survey) automotive dealerships.

A concerned Facebook user chimed in, advocating for a more lenient stance, asserting that attempting to dictate customers’ clothing choices might not be in the company’s best interest.

Someone also commented in an angry tone, “Oi what is this? Going there for car service, not interview or working, right.”

As the discourse unfolded, it became evident that while some inquiries carried genuine weight, others chose to inject humor into the situation, playfully remarking, “If I wanted to buy a Myvi, I should buy or rent a formal attire first.”

“I sell economy rice at a hawker centre, I have never worn a long sleeve shirt and a tie… I guess I will not buy a Perodua car then.”

“I guess they will not serve those who wear short pants.”

Perodua addresses dress code controversy

As reported by Chinese media outlet Sin Chew Daily News, the manager of Kuantan’s Perodua Service Centre had acknowledged that the images on the dress code signage were misleading.

In response, the manager divulged that discussions had transpired with the head office, leading to the prompt removal of the signage to prevent any further misconceptions.

The manager clarifies, “We do encourage visitors to adhere to the dress etiquette, but we won’t go to the extent of restricting their choice of attire.”

He also revealed that currently, no complaints have been directly received from the public.

However, feedback from certain customers was relayed through Perodua’s agents.

Perodua also released an official statement by chief operating officer JK Rozman Jaffar on Wednesday (9 Aug) regarding the dress code on their official Facebook page.

The statement stated the dress code etiquette is not aligned with their official guidelines and they are currently conducting an official investigation on the matter followed by corrective measures to avoid the same incident from happening.

Perodua also extends its apologies for any inconvenience caused.

 

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