The language in this article glosses over serious faults in Singaporean society, which I have had plenty of exposure to.
Firstly, as the article says, SG divides "high achievers" from "low achievers" at a pretty early age and enforces a social stereotype that the low achieveres who attend polytechnic schools are somehow dumb. This is needless segregation. Just offer everyone the same tests and let them choose their specializations.
Secondly, and this is anecdotal, SG produces workerbees who are content to follow orders and processes rather than make their own. The government gives them free money (called a "bond") to go study abroad and then come back and perform 6 years of government labor as a middle-manager. Singaporean students typically study hard, but in their new social surroundings, quickly binge on drugs and alcohol and etc, even more so than Americans binge.
Thirdly, Singaporeans treat ethnic Malays as non-citizens. The Han Chinese of SG are thoroughly content to see Malaysians attending "religious school" as if this were some great freedom. In reality, they are happy to prevent the Malays from becoming as successful as the 70% Chinese population.
Firstly, as the article says, SG divides "high achievers" from "low achievers" at a pretty early age and enforces a social stereotype that the low achieveres who attend polytechnic schools are somehow dumb. This is needless segregation. Just offer everyone the same tests and let them choose their specializations.
Secondly, and this is anecdotal, SG produces workerbees who are content to follow orders and processes rather than make their own. The government gives them free money (called a "bond") to go study abroad and then come back and perform 6 years of government labor as a middle-manager. Singaporean students typically study hard, but in their new social surroundings, quickly binge on drugs and alcohol and etc, even more so than Americans binge.
Thirdly, Singaporeans treat ethnic Malays as non-citizens. The Han Chinese of SG are thoroughly content to see Malaysians attending "religious school" as if this were some great freedom. In reality, they are happy to prevent the Malays from becoming as successful as the 70% Chinese population.