2. Two Emerging Trends

My purpose today is to draw your attention to two emerging trends, both of which seek to knock down the system of scholarships unique to Singapore. (No other country in the world awards so many government scholarships to our best and brightest students).

The first trend is that of a handful of scholars feeling a little guilty that they are privileged. I am beginning to notice a few scholars asking why they are being singled out for grooming for future leadership. Why are we giving so many scholarships to top students and so few bursaries to the poor and needy? Is this false modesty on their part or guilt, or both? Is this the consequence of their awareness of ground resentment that we are becoming too elitist a society? I want to reassure this group of scholars that while we should guard against elitism and arrogance, there are good reasons why we should continue with the scholarships system.

The second trend consists of a growing number of critics - including the media, some politicians and members of the public - who seem to want the government to stop giving scholarships on account of the bad behavior of some scholars. This is more difficult to defend against because it is true that a few scholars have allowed success to go to their heads. Part of the problem lies in the sometimes excessive way we celebrate individual academic excellence in Singapore. Part of it lies in the unrealistic expectations some scholars have about their jobs in the public service.

But the fact that a handful of scholars give a bad name to the system does not mean that the system itself is rotten. In other words, we must improve the system, not abandon it.

And you have an important part to play in this because how you conduct yourself in future will either increase the resentment of the public, politicians and media or reassure them that scholars are not as bad as they are made out to be.

Next: Arguments for why scholarships are bad