http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/457…
CNA picks up PCF
story but censors SDP
Tuesday, 08 February 2011
Singapore Democrats
The Singapore Democrats reported last week on this website that
the PAP-run kindergartens levied a penalty of
$2 for every 5 nimutes that parents are late in picking up their
children.
Today, Channel News Asia (CNA) reported on this matter
PCF kindergarten in Bedok fines late parents
but refused to mention that the SDP was the
first brought the matter to the public’s attention.
More than just professional courtesy, it is important that the
public understands the role that the opposition plays one of which
is to lookout for the public. Many Singaporeans do not understand
what role the opposition plays in Singapore and it is with this
kind of censorship and news blackout that they continue to be kept
in the dark.
The SDP is discharging its responsibility
of keeping watch on what the PAP does and
bringing its negative policies and practices to the attention of
the public. If Singaporeans see the constructive role that the
SDP is playing they would increasingly turn
to the opposition for alternative views.
By censoring news about us, however, the state media ensures
that the Singapore Democrats continue to be marginalised and
remains irrelevant in the eyes of the electorate.
Is this the reason why CNA so blatantly
omitted citing the SDP and our report?
More questions raised
The CNA report raises more questions than
it answers. It reported that the PAP
Community Foundation (PCF) which runs the kindergartens said that
the penalty-charge is specific to the Bedok branch. Did
CNA independently verify this with other
PCF branches? It seems unusual that out of
the 257 kindergartens, the branch in Bedok is the only one to
impose such a fine.
If it is indeed the only branch to do so, how do the other
branches cope with the problem? It surely cannot be that Bedok
parents are the only ones who are late. Why can’t the Bedok branch
learn from its sister schools? Or are the other branches going to
learn from Bedok?
More importantly, the PCF cannot ignore
the fact that its kindergartens make policies that unfairly
penalise parents, especially those in the lower-income groups. As
the CNA reported:
‘One parent said: “For those who have savings, S$2 is no problem
for them. If (you are) like me, with no savings, S$2 is (a) problem
also.”
’
This is emblematic of the PAP mentality. It
resorts to punitive measures, often financial in nature, to solve
problems rather than explore creative ways to overcome them. This
places yet more burden of the poorer segment of society.
The Singapore Democrats also reported that children were not
allowed into class if the parents did not pay the fees on time.
This is a serious matter as it victimises the child. Is the
PCF also adopting such a hands-off approach
to this policy?
At the end of the day, the PCF has a
near-monopoly on providing pre-schooling in HDB estates. It claims to cater for the those who cannot
afford the more expensive private kindergartens. As such it must be
monitored so that it doesn’t turn into a school bully penalising
low-income families who are most vulnerable.
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