We refer to the article “Longer stints in industry likely for ITE, poly students” (Straits Times, Apr 13).
It states “The Aspire committee, which has 98 members on various committees charting future directions for polytechnic and ITE education, is expected to present its recommendations in the second half of this year.”
Forgotten about pay?
Perhaps the most obvious issue pertaining to ITE and polytechnic graduates – may be that their starting pay has not increased in real terms for many years alteady.
Unless this issue is acknowledged and we do not arguably continue to be in a state of denial by not mentioning this at all – how can we address the question of how to improve our tertiary education system?
In this connection, the data from the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Graduate Starting Salary Table(s) in 2012 is rather pathetic.
ITE – Real starting pay dropped 10% in 5 years?
The median monthly gross starting salary of ITE fresh graduates in full-time employment increased from $1,217 to $1,350, from 2007 to 2012.
This is an increase of about 11 per cent over the 5 years, or about 2.1 per cent per annum.
Since inflation was about 21 per cent from 2007 (CPI 93.2) to 2012 (CPI 113.1) – does it mean that in real terms – salaries dropped by about 10 per cent over the 5 years or about minus 1.8 per cent per annum?
As to polytechnic graduates’ starting pay – the data from the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Graduate Starting Salary Table(s) is also pathetic.
Poly Real starting pay dropped 5% in 5 years?
The median monthly gross starting salary of polytechnic fresh graduates in full-time employment increased from $1,800 to $2,000, from 2008 to 2013.
This is an increase of about 11 per cent over the 5 years, or about 2.1 per cent per annum.
Since inflation was about 13.8 per cent from 2008 (CPI 99.4) to 2012 (CPI 113.1) – and if we assume inflation for the whole year of 2013 is 2.6 per cent – does it mean that in real terms – salaries may have dropped by about 5 per cent over the 5 years or about minus 1 per cent per annum?
University graduates’ pay negative last 7 years?
The real growth in university graduates’ starting pay has been negative in the last 7 years
So many lower-income workers?
There were 207,100 residents earning below $1,000, 416,900 below $1,500 and 627,800 below $2,000.
Since the total workforce was 2,004,600 – about 1 in 10 earn below $1,000, 1 in 5 earn below $1,500 and 3 in 10 earn below $2,000.
Tertiary education not important?
With the statistics seemingly getting worse by the year, is it any wonder why there have been so many recent remarks that a tertiary education may not be so important in Singapore anymore?
To what extent has our liberal foreign labour policies contributed to this pathetic state of affairs?
If we are really curtailing the influx of foreign workers – why do the statistics continue to get worse?
SY Lee and Leong Sze Hian