A fairer meritocracy

A fair and just society is necessary to ensure that meritocracy remains a fair “organising principle of Singapore’s society”, benefitting all as our country grows richer and more unequal.

Meritocracy ensures progression from merit based on hard work and abilities rather than gender, race and age. In the early years of Singapore, when most people were at similar starting positions, many deemed meritocracy to be fair.

Recently, with greater acknowledgment that a merit-based system may favour the rich and connected more than the less well off, some have questioned whether we have a fair meritocracy. Parents with more time, money and connections invest more in their children to help them to succeed in life.

When starting in Primary One, a child from a rich family can be way ahead in skills and knowledge due to family environment and enrichment classes, as compared to a child from a poor family with similar innate ability. Subsequently, it is more likely he or she will do better in the PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination), allowing entrance to a more competitive secondary school.

Therefore, providing equal opportunity to succeed, which is an important concept in a fair and just society, is necessary to ensure a fair meritocracy. Moving away from the fine distinction of PSLE scores acknowledges the reality that children from wealthier families may have the early edge. Ensuring spaces for those without affiliation for primary school admission, providing Edusave to all, and allowing subjects to be taken regardless of streaming in secondary education -- all provide students with more opportunities to succeed at the start and throughout their schooling years.

The investment in pre-school education, such as setting up of government kindergartens and subsides for non-anchor pre-schools, and additional smaller classes in primary schools for weaker students, supports equal opportunities for all.

Cumulatively, these recent education policies support social mobility where abilities and hard work of children will play a greater role in their success than their parent’s income and education.

PM Lee also spoke at length about the importance of having top secondary schools – which may sound contradictory after introducing policies to ensure equal opportunity and stressing that all schools are good schools. These top schools’ students, however, should not just come from similar wealthier background and feel entitled to their success. Mr Lee emphasised that these top schools must attract qualified students from all backgrounds and also to take into account attributes such as character, leadership and volunteerism.

Only with a fair meritocracy, enabled by a fair and just society to sustain social mobility, will we have many Singaporeans like Dr Yeo Sze Ling – cited by Mr Lee for having done very well academically in spite of her blindness – who can continue to succeed on their own merit regardless of background.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Soon Sze Meng holds public policy and business administration degrees and works in a multinational corporation.