Since Hsien Loong and his ministers commented that there was really no need to have a degree to get promoted or to be successful in life, there have been a lot of discussions on this issue. Of course many were simply cheeky and hilarious.
I would like to join the fun on a Monday morning with a few unconventional reasons for not having a degree. The first consideration of getting a degree today is all about cost. And the next is about the time wasted, 3 to 4 years in acquiring a degree that may not be of any use commercially. This is particularly true when one has decided to make hawking a career or sell pork in the market. So why waste time and money when the alternative is so much easier and more attractive? Just go to the degree mills or even a roadside stall and buy one. A PhD is also available though a bit more expensive. And a genuine honorary one would cost several thousand dollars.
The govt too has no fear of not having enough Sinkies with degrees to form a Sinkie core. Like what Tharman recommended, bring in the foreign talents and issued them a pink IC and we have instant Sinkies with instant degrees, and very likely very talented ones, good enough to run for Premiership as well. Many are already on the right path, starting with being MPs. Some are starting as grassloot leaders. Oops, my auto spelling check not working again. Must be a fake one. I meant to write grassroot leaders.
Success in Singapore is all about money. The more money one has, the more successful one is seen to be, and it comes with a lot of dignity. No worry how the money is made. There are many roads to instant success in Singapore. Please don’t include the road of being a tour guide.
Many are working very hard at it to be instant success. Spend a night in one of the two casinos and one can possibly walk out a successful man the next morning with a few millions in the pocket. This kind of success formula surely does not need a degree. Another alternative is the Singapore Pools. This one also no need for a degree.
Success can come in many ways. And definitely a degree is not needed. The practical part is that in most cases a degree will not bring any success but a debt of a few hundred thousand bucks and a waste of time. Some ended with their parents losing their homes to get the money for an overseas degree.
No one is going to know what you have stored inside your head from the degree. People are more interested in what you have in your pockets. That is real success, the Singapore way.
Chua Chin Leng AKA RedBean
*The writer blogs at http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/