Monday, December 27, 2010

Unfair study fees - prove me wrong

(Update 28/12)
Latest: Does anyone how many foreign students get the subsidy vs the local students?

The MOE website (click here) states that the subsidy is S$2,400 for both foreign and local students. But the initial entry school fee is different, ie local pays S$3,600 while a foreign student pays S$7,200.



In essence a local student has a significant lower school fee. This is a very encouraging perk being a Singaporean citizen. Well done, MOE. It killed the niggling doubt in my mind and put it to rest.


PS. Thanks to those who have responded. I am glad it was clarified. :)

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

He came knowing He would die. Yet He came

Luke 2:11 "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."

1) Jesus came to die.
- Cloth Linen. Jesus the babe was wrapped in swaddling cloths. When He died, He was wrapped in burial cloth. "So Joseph (of Arimathea) bought some linen cloth, took down the body (of Jesus), wrapped it in the linen..."
- Manger. Jesus was lying in a manger. During that time, a manger is a concrete trough cut out of rock. When Jesus died, He was placed in a concrete cave. "... and (Joseph) placed His body in a tomb cut out of rock."
- Feed. A manger is where horses and animals feed from. Jesus came to be fed upon when He said, "This is My body broken for you. Eat this in remembrance of Me."

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Winning winners, not losing winners

I was reading the latest entry in My Singapore News (Redbean's blog). I usually pen my thoughts down in a notepad that comes with Windows. I had such a lengthy reply that I decided to blog about it.

It is every parent's dream to see their kids grow up successfully. This is especially more prominent in Singapore when the paper chase has gone to unprecedented levels. We know it when the tuition and enrichment classes have become money-making million-dollar industries.

Apart from that we have parents who will fork out sums of money and savings to buy and live in overpriced housing locations near good school zones. It has also become increasingly stressful for parents to get a chance to parent volunteer because it is the first step for a secured place in the school.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Who says we need an A-team to come up with a sound policy?

Many of us need a car. Some of us more urgently than others.

My prediction is many may not see their cars until the Chinese New Year is over if I read the COE price graph correctly. The recent astronomical hike in the COEs provided little explanation other than if you need a car urgently, cough out the extra money.

Many of us need a car. Some of us more urgently than others.

It may be for whatever reasons ranging from transporting elderly, near-immobile parents to sales-line job to simple travel convenience to a show-off to impress someone who might not even care. In Singapore it does not matter if you live in the prime District 10 area or in the rural Sembawang heartlands, the COE knows no name or location. It speaks the language of dollars. No money, no COE.

Many of us need a car. Some of us more urgently than others.