Here is a simple comparison between a O level graduate, diploma
and degree graduate to prove that it is not worth spending so much
time and money to study.
We shall take a starting pay of $1200 for O level graduate who
work as Admin Assistant and give her a 1 month bonus and $100 pay
increment every year.
During the 3 years that you take to get a diploma from the
polytechnic you will have incureed a cost of $6000 school fees
(after government subsidy) and you will have lost 3 years of income
as compared to a O level graduate who works during the 3 years that
you are studying,
The O level graduate who is a admin assistant will have earned
this amount in the 3 years that you spend taking a diploma
1st year: $1200*13 months(including bonus)= $15 600
2nd year: $1300(assuming a $100 increment for every year that he
works)*13 months= $ 16 900
3rd year: $1400 * 13 months= $18 200.
In 3 years time, she will have earned $15 600+ $16 900 + $18
200= $50 700.
And in 3 years time due to outstanding performance she got
promoted to Admin Executive and given a $300 pay increment and her
salary is now $1700 a month.
A fresh diploma holder starts off as a Admin Executive drawing a
salary of $1700. Both of them earns the same amount of salary but
the O level graduate has worked for 3 years and during this period
she have earned $50 700. Plus the diploma holder have spended $6000
on her school fees.
Note that this amount has not include the cpf portion of her
employer contribution during the 3 years that she has worked. If we
include in this amount it will be higher.
Clearly the O level graduate is at a advantage as compared to
the diploma holder.
Now we compare a degree holder who took 5 years to get a degree(
2 years in JC and 3 years in university) with the O level
graduate.
Starting from the 4 year onwards, the O level graduate who is
now a Admin Executive earns $1700 a month.
4th year: $1700*13 months= $22 100
5th year: $1800*13 months= $23 400
At the end of the 5 years, the O level graduate Admin Exceutive
will have earned $50 700+ $22 100+ $23 400= $96 200. Her salary at
that time will be $1800 a month.
The university graduate let us give her a salary of $2200 a
month. Wow not bad sia she earns $400 a month more than the O level
graduate.
But wait. during the 5 years that she took to get a degree, the
O level graduate have already earned $96 200.
You go and calculate how long must this university graduate work
than she can earn back the loss of $96 200 income that she loss in
these 5 years. Not to mention, she started off with a net loss of
$30 000( calculated by using $10 000 a year school fee multiply by
3 years course fee. And $10 000 a year school fee is already
considered cheap. Some university courses costs more than $10 000 a
year).
So after this calculation, you say whether is it worth it to
take a degree or diploma anot? 
it is possible to put forward a framework of reasons and values
to justify almost any choice of lifestyle. if u choose your
perception, choose your values and choose your information, you can
defend almost any point of view.
one of the prime duties that wisdom is call upon to perform is
to cope with now and then.
the youngster drops out of school to earns good money and to
have a less boring time. that is now. later the earning capacity of
that youngster is substaintially below that of his classmates
who got more education. that is then
