rjc08_education/Pei ling/10S416

I agree with Professor X that higher education is not for everyone. He believes that higher education is overrated in America and everyone tries to attain a qualification even though the individual is not cut out for it. He thinks that the idea of everyone going for higher education is idealistic and higher education is not compulsory. In Singapore, the idea of going for higher education is not enforced on Singapore students. Students can choose to either continue their education in the university or start working. There are polytechnics available for students to get their diplomas and pick up the necessary skills needed for their jobs. They can start working after they have obtained diplomas from polytechnics. A Ministry of Manpower (MOM) report shows that unemployment is higher among university graduates (2.6%) than among polytechnic diploma holders (2.1%). Hence, higher education is not for everyone as it is not necessary unless the individual wants to better himself.

However, the competitive society misleads everyone to think that higher education is compulsory if they want to secure a good and high paying job in future. It is not completely untrue as it is indeed difficult to get a good job without high qualifications in Singapore now. There are many university graduates unemployed because of the recent recession. If they are not employed, how can someone with a lower qualification compete with them for a job? The company obviously with hire someone with higher qualification. Higher education is especially important in Singapore as most jobs are tertiary and requires much knowledge. Singapore is currently advancing in various fields (finance, social sciences, medicine, science) which require specific education in order to participate in them. Even business or multi-national companies - a more advance version of mercantilism - requires formal education because of the complexities that global trading involves. Thus higher education is for everyone if they want to do well in future in competitive societies.