Major survey ranks Singapore's education among the world's best:
MM Lee
By S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 19 October 2007 2221
hrs
SINGAPORE : Why do some countries succeed in the field of education
and others do not?
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said on Friday an article in the
latest issue of the Economist has rated Singapore as one of the top
five countries that have succeeded in the field of education.
And it is based on a report prepared by McKinsey, a worldwide
management consulting firm advising leading companies on issues of
strategy, organisation, technology, and operations.
And he stressed that Singapore has crafted an education system that
suits the country after studying several models worldwide,
including those of the British, Americans and the Japanese.
Mr Lee shared this point with participants of a dialogue on
Leadership in Asia organised by French post-graduate school,
INSEAD.
It is a leadership forum attended not only by past and present
students of INSEAD itself but also by captains of industry and CEOs
from top international firms.
So if Singapore were a stereotypical city, would such talent or
even INSEAD bother setting up in the city state?
John Burton, Singapore Bureau Chief, Financial Times, said:
"Singapore does want to become a knowledge society and to do that
you do need people who can think out of the box and to challenge
the system. Do you think this is a serious issue for Singapore? And
does it pose a threat or limit to Singapore's future growth? And
what is the solution?"
MM Lee said: "This is a standard Western correspondent viewpoint.
If we cannot think out of the box, you think we would be here sent
by the Financial Times to throw darts at us from time to time - and
we could change year by year the way we have?"
Mr Lee said the McKinsey report had studied the education system of
many countries.
He said: "And the conclusion they came to is not whether your
classes are big or small, whether you have tests or you don't have
tests, but what is the quality of the teachers and how quickly you
put things right when it goes wrong and how you get good quality
teachers. "
To be able to do that you must be able to think for yourself
because the British didn't leave us with the system and it's not me
or the Minister for Education. We have people who have gone round
the world studying the education systems. I think if the Financial
Times does worry about us and sincerely takes an interest in our
future, I suggest read that report, visit our universities and find
out how it is."
For participants at INSEAD's leadership summit, it was an
opportunity for them to get Mr Lee's views on the factors that have
resulted in good governance in countries.
And one of them wanted to know what was his role now as Minister
Mentor in the government.
MM Lee said: "When my son became the Prime Minister, I either had
to leave the cabinet or he made quite sure that I am not deciding
policy. I was moved from Senior Minister which I was for 14 years
when Goh Chok Tong was Prime Minister and he kept me as
supernumerary minister as Mentor. In other words, I cannot give any
direction to any ministry or any minister, I can only mentor them.
They are using me as a data bank."
But Mr Lee made it clear he would shudder to be a mentor to any
other government elsewhere. - CNA/ch
