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Mindef turns down SIM student's pleas to
sit for first-year exams first. -ST
Wed, Aug 13, 2008
The Straits Times
By Esther Tan
SINGAPORE Institute of Management (SIM) student Samuel Tan Chee
Hong will not get to sit for his first-year examinations at the end
of this year.
By then, the youth, who turned 18 last month, will have been
called up to begin his national service (NS).
Samuel joined the private educational organisation in the middle
of last year, finished a six-month foundation programme and started
his course in computer science at the start of this year.
But, last month, he received a letter from the Defence Ministry
telling him to report for NS next month.
He has made five failed appeals to Mindef asking for a
deferment. At first, he pleaded for a deferment until the end of
his three-year bachelor's degree.
When that was turned down, he made four further appeals
seeking a three- month deferment to allow him to at least complete
the first year of his course.
All have been rejected, even with support from Aljunied
GRC MPs Cynthia Phua and Lim Hwee Hua.
Mindef's replies to him all carried the same reason: Male
Singaporeans aged 18 and due to enlist will be granted a full
deferment from NS only to pursue educational qualifications up to
'A' levels, a polytechnic diploma or equivalent qualifications such
as those from the Institute of Technical Education.
NS deferment to pursue a university degree has not been
allowed since late 2005, said Mindef spokesman Darius
Lim.
At the Budget debate in 2006, Second Minister for Defence Ng Eng
Hen explained that, with more educational opportunities available
now, pre-enlisted males can start their courses at any time of the
year. This means many more Singaporeans are able to start
university or other courses locally before they reach 18.
Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean also reiterated Mindef's stance
in Parliament last month. "Allowing such students deferment would
be unfair to the vast majority of their peers studying in junior
colleges, polytechnics and other institutions who do not have the
same opportunity to be deferred for their university studies."
Samuel's father, Mr Roger Tan, said his youngest of three sons
had started the SIM course knowing there was a chance he would not
get to defer. "But we didn't want to waste time waiting for him to
hit 18 before he started NS. It was a risk we had to take," said
the IT manager.
He could have enlisted earlier, as teens aged 16 1/2 can apply
for early enlistment. But his father did not want him to do that:
"Boys that age are too young, immature and slow to learn. The risk
is too high and they will be more prone to accidents."
An SIM spokesman said the credits Samuel obtained in his first
three quarters of the year will still be valid when he finishes his
NS in two years' time.
Since the start of the year, five other SIM students
have had to stop their studies to enlist for NS. So far,
all returning students have not had to pick up new modules to
replace the old ones, the spokesman said.
When contacted, a Mindef spokesman said it considers two main
factors when facing a deferment request.
One is the need to preserve equity in terms of educational
attainment before NS. The second is the need to enlist NS-liable
males for rigorous military training "while they are young and
fit".
Mr Tan, 54, said his son was asking for a three-month delay and
would be only half a year older upon actual enlistment.
"Even with a full deferment, he would only be 20 years old upon
the completion of his degree course. He'll still be young and fit
then," he said.
This article was first published in The Straits Times on Aug
11, 2008.
