REACH 321 - Which Budget 2022 measure resonates with you? (SK)
21 Feb 2022 (10am - 7pm)
REACH
[9:35 am, 21/02/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
Welcome back! π
⏰ We will be opening the chat from 10am to 7pm today. ⏰
House Rules (short version of our Terms of Use) to keep in mind:
1. Be kind and respectful. We all want to be in a safe space to share our views.
2. Any and all threatening, abusive, vulgar or racially, religiously and ethnically objectionable content is prohibited.
3. Consider the quiet ones among us and give them a chance to comment.
4. No need to repeat your comment or in different forms (including caps) - we heard you loud and clear the first time.
5. Let’s protect each other’s privacy and keep contact details in this group what it should always be - confidential.
Full set of Terms of Use: https://go.gov.sg/reach-whatsapp-terms
We will strive to uphold these rules to ensure this is a safe space for all.
Please be assured that the points made by participants during the chat are aggregated and shared with relevant agencies.
The topic will be posted shortly.
Thank you
Megan π
[9:56 am, 21/02/2022] +REACH: π’ Topicπ’
Budget 2022 - Charting Our New Way Forward Together
Singapore will dip into its past reserves for the third straight year to help it fund extended Covid-19 relief measures and public health safety in 2022. However, this year’s deficit will be more modest than those of the past two years as the economy recovers from the pandemic.
Budget 2022 lays the foundations for how we want to move forward as a society and prepares Singapore for the challenges of the future. We call on all Singaporeans to build our nation together, and to ensure a better Singapore for ourselves and our children.
π¬ Which Budget 2022 measure resonates with you?
π Support COVID-19 Recover
- Immediate support for households, businesses, and workers
π Invest in New Capabilities
- Invest in digital capabilities
- More support for innovation, R&D and productivity
- Strengthen local enterprise ecosystem
π Invest in Our People
- Support for training, job redesign, and skills matching
- Support mid-career workers
- Adjust foreign worker policies to improve local-foreign complementarity
π Renew & Strengthen Our Social Compact
- Uplift lower-wage workers
- Boost retirement adequacy
- Build a caring and inclusive society
π Advance Our Green Transition
- Net zero ambition and carbon tax adjustments
- Green growth opportunities and sustainable living
π Fairer & More Resilient Tax System
- Meet significant and growing recurrent spending needs, especially for healthcare
- Everyone chips in, those with more contribute more
π https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/graphics/2022/02/singapore-budget-revenue-and-spending-breakdown-2022/index.html?shell
------
[10:05 am, 21/02/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
Topic 1 - Economy and Workforce | η»ζ΅δΈε³ε¨ε
1. Disruptive tech will make current business obsolete and irrelevant. At the same time, it will continuously disrupt and make the the skillsets of our workforce irrelevant.
2. How will the Government and Business "institutionalise" training and learning for our adult workforce to keep their skillset relevant to the Business and continue to earn income to sustain themselves and their family members. (This is our workforce constant worry - to ensure that they have relevant skills to the business and can keep themselves employed until retirement).
3. How to ensure our business continue to stay ahead of the disruptive tech, reform or restructure themselves to stay relevant, survive and thrive - make profit and provide employment to our workforce.
[10:05 am, 21/02/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
Topic 2 - Society and Community | η€ΎδΌδΈη€ΎεΊ
1. a. With runaway supply side inflation (trigger by covid pandemic) - such as global manufacturing lockdown, labour lockdown, global supply chain disruption, energy price spike due to oil drilling, production disruption, global climate, flood, drought that disrupt crop production etc.
b. With demand side inflation - due to impending GST hike, and food stalls, business raising their prices for food, goods and services that price in both supply side and demand side inflation :-
i. Government provision of Budget 2022 $6 billion Assurance fund - can help to cushion the price hike or inflation for a few years.
ii. However the concern is, what will happen after that especially for :-
a. retirees (without income) - that will deplete their savings as prices that have go up will not come down - even though the impact of global supply side inflation may subside after pandemic taper off. Eg. are food prices.
b.low income and middle income group - whereby salary increment may not be able to catch up with the inflation.
2. Budget 2022 have focus on Wealth Tax to ensure social compactness and address income inequaltiy - namely by targeting property such as raising property tax especially on non-owner occupied properties as well as to a lesser extent - owner occupied high-end private properties; increasing tax on expensive cars; as well as raising the personal income tax of the highest end of top income earners.
a. I support the Government effort to redistribute wealth to ensure a fairer society, helping the lower income group and hence ensure a more harmonious and compact society.
b. However, I will like to caution targeting of other wealth tax that may drive away wealthy and enterprising people that intend to settle themselves in Singapore, setup business here and contribute to our Econonmy and create jobs for Singaporeans.
i. GST hike is a good way for our Government to collect more tax revenue from the wealthy - as rich people will pay high price for those premium goods and services they like to buy irregardless of the GST rate.
To the rich, it is a "Win-Win" outcome - because they pay a high price but they perceived to benefit from the goods and services they received.
They don't feel sore unlike a "Win-Lose" situation - whereby they pay but get no benefit.
ii. Higher property tax is also consider a "Win-Win" outcome for the rich, because even though they pay a higher stamp duty, gst, property tax etc - the wealthy will still pay because they possess the asset and they believe the assets will appreciate in values over time.
iii. Likewise for expensive car, the higher ARF is not too high a price for the wealthy people because they get to own the car, use it and is a prestige item to the wealthy.
ii. But other form of wealth tax eg. the Inheritance tax, tax on capital investment such as interest income, dividend, insurance income etc ---- in which the wealthy rely on using their passive income to accumulate their wealth --- will turn off the wealthy to put their money overseas and lead to capital outflow away from our Economy.
Because this will be seen as a "Win-Lose" outcome for the wealthy.
In addition, the wealthy can invest their passive income in overseas Countries that do not levy such taxes - and hence make Singapore less competitive as a financial hub.
Important to note that, recently many wealthy setup home-office in Singapore and transfer big funds into Singapore to help them to accumulate wealth - and as a result benefit Singapore greatly with S$4.7 trillion (US$3.5 trillion) assets under management.
We may trigger the outflow of these assets if we levy the above wealth tax - as such passive income can be invested overseas without such wealth tax.
Our past experience reveals that we collected a meagre sum $153.7 million of estate tax in 2007, the year before it was abolished.
Clearly the wealthy have moved their funds elsewhere - and I can't see how this will help to expand our financial hub and grow our financial sector when wealthy park and invest their passive funds elsewhere - while we collect a meagre sum of estate duty and other passive income wealth tax.
[10:21 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: agree to certain with Danny on this cos is human nature -> b. However, I will like to caution targeting of other wealth tax that may drive away wealthy and enterprising people that intend to settle themselves in Singapore, setup business here and contribute to our Econonmy and create jobs for Singaporeans.
[10:22 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: but neither can we escape this cycle, while many will have varies reason why my richness have to be tax when is my hardwork.
[10:22 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: chiken and egg thinggy
[10:22 am, 21/02/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
However, feel that this Budget 2022 is quite generous to individuals and households - and will be able to cushion the GST hike for the next few years.
Beyond that, middle income, lower income group will have to find ways to increase their salaries and income to sustain the higher cost of living.
Retirees will particularly face more difficulties with the rising cost beyond that - as most are living on their savings.
[10:22 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: personally i am interest more how the Govt is going to put GREAT emphasis on this
[10:22 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: Invest in New Capabilities
- Invest in digital capabilities
- More support for innovation, R&D and productivity
- Strengthen local enterprise ecosystem
π Invest in Our People
- Support for training, job redesign, and skills matching
- Support mid-career workers
- Adjust foreign worker policies to improve local-foreign complementarity
[10:24 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: despite have so many education to equipped our young with skills and knowledge, we still have economy reason stated we do not have the correct skills and experienced. which part of the equation is wrong. Let's face the fact and stop finding reasons to justify but zero in on the issue.... is it really we lack of the skills sets?
[10:37 am, 21/02/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
Right tax strategy will enable our government to reap more stable revenue - and prevent capital outflow or flight by the wealthy.
As the wealthy are highly mobile - and can easily switch or transfer their funds and liquid assets out of Singapore if we wrongly target them - by zero in on their passive income to accumulate wealth - when Singapore are facing huge competition from other countries - going for the same fund.
[10:49 am, 21/02/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
Thus we need to be careful and not follow the pitfall of "common prosperity" - that lead to capital outflow.
Budget 2022 of wealth tax are appropriate - because it is perceived by the wealthy as a "win-win" tax outcome.
"Common prosperity" tax outcome is a "win-lose" tax outcome.
As the wealthy perceived that they only give and not getting any tangible or intangible in return - leading to capital flight.
[10:51 am, 21/02/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/police-arrest-13-people-7-charged-ocbc-bank-phishing-scams-2509956
7 people charged, six arrested over suspected involvement in recent spate of OCBC bank phishing scams.
[10:51 am, 21/02/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
13 people arrested for suspected involvement in OCBC scams.
I correctly guess they are locals disguise as scammers from overseas countries - because only locals or foreign expatriates working in Singapore knows the local context well before they can successfully pull of the banking scams.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/13-people-arrested-for-suspected-involvement-in-ocbc-scams
[11:31 am, 21/02/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
Interest earn from banks is not taxable - to strengthen Singapore as a financial hub and attract funds to be invested in Singapore.
Hence targeting such fund for wealth tax - will cripple our financial hub.
[11:33 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: there is a global intent on taxing the rich
[11:34 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: think this was discussed on some international platform / forum in 2020 or 2021, that time we did raise this concerned
[11:34 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: might want to check that put
[11:40 am, 21/02/2022] ☸️ Danny εΏ:
The global tax kill us and doesn't help us - because wealthy will move to large domestic market if our tax rate no longer competitive.
If we further increase our wealth tax - we die faster.
[11:43 am, 21/02/2022] +BL: Perhaps we look at a one-off corporation windfall tax to help pay for covid measures. There is always the same problem. Wealthy people and companies will look for ways to avoid tax. That is the way of the world, and Singapore actually benefits from it due to our low tax rates.
[11:54 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: from that past forum one of the take way i do remember (again please look for it) if any countries who refuse to impose such wealth tax will be "punished"globally in some form thus ll we have to join the gang
[11:54 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: think it start with hahahah USA ...
[11:54 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: den the uk and some eu hands up on this as well
[11:55 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: not sure how we were involve in that forum or platform but obviously in the region we are well pretty well know for low tax situation
[11:55 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: so liek i mentioned chicken and egg thing
[11:56 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: dun do also die
[11:56 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: do also die
[11:56 am, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: anyway let the brains go work it out
[11:58 am, 21/02/2022] +Jospeh: The trouble with our education system, is that it is focused on exam-taking rather than nurturing our students to develop critical and creative thinking skills.
This problem is perpetuated by the way MOE (and our Public Sector) selects its leaders. Our education is designed (and constantly tweaked) by succeeding batches of scholars, all of whom, had outperformed their peers in school from an early age, mainly because of how it is designed.
We can't entirely fault of the "scholar-leaders" since this is the system that they had found success in/with, and their success reinforces the belief that "this" is the way forward.
The way our education system is being run - the breadth and depth of our MOE school curriculum - is at least 2-3yrs ahead of most other D…
[0:00 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: quote nurturing our students to develop critical and creative thinking skills.->>> give them credit with the recent psle maths question lah ask here and there to slove how many bloody apples and coins when it phrase is a more direct way. Imagine one doing this to your boss or clients ... .. hahahah
[0:01 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: but all in all i too think the current system sucks more than what we been teaching in the past
[0:02 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: i cannot fathom what had asking round about question got to do with creative thinking ..
[0:03 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: i find the 60s 70s 80s, 90s kids are more creative den today kids
[0:03 pm, 21/02/2022] +Jospeh: Yes.. those useless "Maths models" which can only fit very narrow and specific "scenarios", none of which, has real life applications. Those methods, which will have to be discarded the moment PSLE is over because Secondary school Maths is completely different and cannot be solved using those methods π
[0:04 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: totally agree
[0:05 pm, 21/02/2022] +Smiley face: https://youtu.be/steaizIyMn8
[0:05 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: our system should infuse more life skillsets ...
[0:05 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: street smart ...
[0:05 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: values and ethics ..
[0:06 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: mai leh this guy might be smart but someone told me in interview this guy prefer maps to human interaction
[0:06 pm, 21/02/2022] +Jospeh: Very useful... i will give him a call when Google Maps crashes
[0:07 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: sorry the world is already driving towards META universe aka no need face to face human interaction i dun need another human being to tell me to speak via a computer or ai or 3d image
[0:07 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: hahahaha mai lai that lah
[0:07 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: in short this how to investment in people and job is super interesting to looked at
[0:08 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: talk too much ppl not happy
[0:08 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: dun talk ppl also not happy
[0:08 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: the core of singapore is people
[0:08 pm, 21/02/2022] +Jospeh: what is the point of competing with AI/IT .. can humans perform consistently at peak performance level 24x7, 365 days a year? How many calls/queries can he handle at once? π
[0:09 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: nothing else and if we keep selling we have no talent here we need more people from overseas , frankly is like shooting ourselves in the food also
[0:09 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: sorry foot ...
[0:10 pm, 21/02/2022] +Jospeh: Don't get me wrong, I think what he is able to do, is amazing! ... but no real world applications - that cannot be better performed by Google Maps - unfortunately. Exactly like our scholar-invented Primary school Maths Models
[0:11 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: how can we be one of the top in education when we keep telling the press aka world we have no skilled workers ...
[0:12 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: and the only reason people are coming here to is to face it -> MAKE USE OF GOVT FREEBIES / low tax (mentioned) / and easy way of lives for the expats (remember how some unknwon source claims 20k is too little for him to stay here with his family
[0:13 pm, 21/02/2022] +JC: I think there are many confounding factors here - to me, it is not clear that our education system is definitively at fault for the lack of creative thinking/critical skills. We do not have a "control arm" of Singaporean born-bred students who went through a different system and shown to be more capable at creative/critical thinking.
Many other factors could contribute to that: e.g. relatively small population (emergence of "creative" ideas/business is sometimes a function of randomness), downside of being already successful (why rock the boat), lack of material incentives for many (Average Singaporean is highly affluent compared to global standards)
Looking at PMET foreigners here in Singapore is super misleading as obviously they are just a small subset of the total population of people in their home countries. Are they in Singapore because their home country education system fosters more "creative thinking"? or are they here because they are outliers in their home countries?
Perhaps simpler and more valid to critique our education system for what it is and measure its success on outcomes that are more directly linked to educational approaches.
[0:44 pm, 21/02/2022] +Jospeh: When I compare the the education system during my time in school and those of the recent/current generation - through the school-going kids in my household - i am convinced a large part is the devolution - with a “d” - of our eduction system.
i assume you agree that the observation i made, that the majority of our students today, require enrichment/tuition just to keep up in class, is not incorrect. That in itself, should be a major red flag.
Yes. Sticking to the formula that “works”. That is exactly what i mentioned. The SCHOLARS who thrived in this very system, that rewards a very narrow set of skills/capabilities, are the very same ones that are perpetuating and “improving” it. It rewards repetitive, regurgitative learning. Spend enough hours, practicing and re-doing as many worksheets as you can, and you will excel… in the EXAM/TEST which, is really a test of how well one has practiced/memorized the subject. It’s almost like muscle-memory in sports. Look at how “Google Maps savant” can answer a question even before the host has finished reading out the entire question. Practice, practice, practice.
Yes, I agree and had considered the fact that the foreign PMETs in SG are a small subset who may be outliers in their countries. Fortunately, and sometimes unfortunately, i had the benefit of having worked and interacted with a large number of them, across many different geographies and ethnicity, over decades in my career, to be able to say with a very high level of confidence, that competence, technical knowledge and ability is overrated.
Many “creative” ideas arise out of necessary, discovered through play and exploration outside of conventional/established playbooks.
When our kids are so bogged down by “studying”, and end up with little time and freedom for play, explore and interact with the real world around them, it will be difficult for them to expand their imagination and creativity.
It question - and answer - is not what more needs to be taught in school, but rather, what less, so that the growing and inquisitive mind of our young/youths, has the bandwidth to learn through each of our own unique life/experiences. To learn through discovery and exploration outside the confines of a textbook.
[0:47 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: this is super important as is skills which schools nor parents can guide and impart like kung fu ...
[0:47 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: end up with little time and freedom for play, explore and interact with the real world around them, it will be difficult for them to expand their imagination and creativity.
[0:47 pm, 21/02/2022] +Jospeh: No doubt Max Zeng carried his team on the UK TV quiz…. but honestly, how many, would disagree to the statement that the other 3 contestants will most likely be more successful later on in life? π
[0:48 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: kid needs to have their kids life and experienced .... think is this where 60s 70s 80s and abit of the 90s kids have the luxury with ..... thus enabling us to think on our feet and go beyond
[0:49 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: but frankly now even old timers and out dated aged folks are block by these so call book and theory smart arse cos they started to do everything based on show me the number show me this show me that , their risk assessment is based on what they are thought from school modeling ....
[0:50 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: but neither do we want to train a group of robots workers ...
[0:50 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: if as a society we still dun wake up ..
[0:51 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: let's mark his works from LKY soon singaporeans will once again be labourers and servants for others
[0:51 pm, 21/02/2022] +Jospeh: Yup.. it is not just about what they learn .. but what they are forced to give up learning going through our current education system. What have we achieved in the end, and at what costs?
A constant supply of scholars to fill seats in our Public sector and a wider population of disenchanted workers?
[0:52 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: scholars to fill seats in our Public sector -> please how much good these scholars provision to the society seriously ...
[0:53 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: also not to forget the basis of much organisation is not the brains there that keep things going and accomplish
[0:53 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: is the middle and lower tier ... brains just draw a vision and get buy in
[0:54 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: thus now can our people be aka so call useless ....or no talent ? else how do we help keep organization alive .. not sure if i make sense here
[0:56 pm, 21/02/2022] +Suma pamu: Education is deffinatly most important thing to look for whats going right and whats gping wrong!
Thanks to The GREAT range of Syllabus, my sec 1girl whom just started in jan, alreary saying now she do not even.like any of the subjects, inclusing science, which she used to like it in primary. School started not even 2 months yet, but flooded with H.W Projects and exams.
Tooo much stressful for A child, in the end all this generation ends up being a robotic life!!
Feeling sad for them!
[0:57 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: stress must be given at certain degree so kids know in live is not a bed of hamgurgers and youtube ... this will better prepare them for the society
[0:57 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: certain items which i sure will leik to bring back is social education as it really will and does make a difference to the society
[0:58 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: also quoting grand master words hahaha lky ... kids have such good life in todays society that they have the slightest or no fear that one day singapore will become nothing .. they believe this will go on and on and on
[0:58 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: But history had shown us the cycle (those who took history) the growth and peak of an country and the down fall
[1:01 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: frankly does today education system for pri / sec school make sense? parents of kids in this range maybe you have a better answer cos i dun have though i see my relatives kids is like struggling and i ask myself how are these going to help them ... like the psle question these brain teaser or round about question in live
[1:01 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: as a boss myself i always tell my team cut the crap
[1:01 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: give me the main point and solution
[1:01 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: if about efficiency; turn around time and results (estimated and risk assessment)
[1:02 pm, 21/02/2022] +Suma pamu: I dont think this kind of stress is what makes them preapre for future.
:)
[1:02 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: key word is certain degree .. must apply pressure abit else as they climb up the ladder in life or education, setback will destroy them .... pressure mould a person ...
[1:05 pm, 21/02/2022] +Suma pamu: Exactly
But For that
Need to prepare them in diff way.
Example
In Singapore we never had Power cuts/ water issues etc
Train children how they need to be prepared if one day no water no electricity no food no transport
Not with this kind of Enormous bookish knowledge with zero practicality...
[1:06 pm, 21/02/2022] +Suma pamu: Seeing my daughter now, i would say NO sense at all..sorry for being harsh
But Totally No sense..
[1:06 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: Actually project is fun as it can allow room for creativity during my time I enjoy project most
[1:06 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: Think now issue is maths English and sciense
[1:07 pm, 21/02/2022] +Suma pamu: Agree but not the extent that they totally lacks the zeal to live!!
[1:07 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: Cos maths utilises English to twist and turn the words
[1:07 pm, 21/02/2022] +Suma pamu: π€¦π½♀️π€¦π½♀️Not at all..
These so called Proj simply, searching google and find answer nothing else
[1:08 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: I read and say why cannot just say A is 4 B is 5 and c is 6
[1:08 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: Hurh now the project is like that looking for Mr google?
[1:08 pm, 21/02/2022] +Suma pamu: π yeah mostly yes.
[1:08 pm, 21/02/2022] +Suma pamu: Its just PPs instead of paper..
[1:09 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: Oru time much better have to hands on..... Like go collect leaves and trace out the pattern etc
[1:09 pm, 21/02/2022] +Suma pamu: Nope .. nowadays everything...mostly is Virtual ..
[1:10 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: Next time no need eat
[1:10 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: Just feed virtual food via liquid also
[1:10 pm, 21/02/2022] +Suma pamu: ππ a total Robotics generation
[1:11 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: Anyway I am not impressed at all with last yr psle where parents suddenly are happy how good the system is
[1:11 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: That is really the first batch of memorizing student
[1:12 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: Memorized how to attack certain question
[2:15 pm, 21/02/2022] +BL: Of course, we also want to ensure these aren't the sort of rich people we are welcoming with our low taxes!
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/feb/20/credit-suisse-secrets-leak-unmasks-criminals-fraudsters-corrupt-politicians?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
[2:17 pm, 21/02/2022] +Guillermo Cabeza : The measures for mid-career workers (of which I am one) did not resonate with me at all. There were no details on the Career Transition Programme, it seemed to be just a merger and rebranding of current initiatives. While the Mid-Career Pathways Programme may be useful in some circumstances it does not really help the PMET segment given the wage threshold (which is to some degree in any case offset by higher CPF costs). For the same reason the increase in EP thresholds will also have a limited impact. Anecdotally from search firm and HR contacts I have heard that companies are having no problems getting EPs (if rejected once, reapply and bound to come through) even for roles which Singaporean mid-career workers could qualify for. I also have seen that many roles only appear in mycareersfuture at the last minute with limited job descriptions which is usually a sign that companies have made up their mind who to hire before having to post the role online to meet MOM requirements. As the population ages and the cost of living continues to rise, we will all have to work longer years, and it is inevitable that the retirement age will need to go up. We already see this in the increase in CPF contribution rates for older workers. The government needs to do much more to encourage local hiring of the 45-65 year olds.
[2:28 pm, 21/02/2022] +Guillermo Cabeza : The tax measures did resonate with me: the increases at the higher end including consumption (vehicles), the acknowledgement that corporate rates need to be adjusted to stay in line with global changes, and the subsidy measures to try to offset some of GST and Green tax increases. Perhaps though the government could go further perhaps by providing a tax-refundable credit per dependent (with an income cap out so that it helps the lower-middle income households) paid for by lowering the tax deduction threshold or otherwise increasing the taxes on the higher income segments.
[2:52 pm, 21/02/2022] +JC: I think we agree on some of the observations of the outcome of the system (e.g. tuition, scholar-mindset, etc.) but I would argue that the education system is not the main problem. Much of the issues we see in education today is actually due to our education system having to adapt and adjust to the values of the broader society/economy. As long as our society value academic achievements and use it as the entry criteria for better opportunities later in life (e.g. criteria for scholarship, criteria for hiring, criteria for entry into a better school/university etc.), most parents and children will strive for it. Without changes in those values, any attempts to "fix" the system will just fail and lead to individuals finding different workarounds privately.
What we do have control over though is our own response to the system - are you prepared to tell your child to ignore the homework and explore his interests (or whatever can help their creative/critical thinking) during his/her free time? You 100% have the freedom to do so - yet, very few of us believe in the benefits enough to do so.
We have a society that encourages dual-income households. How much time do parents have to inculcate "creative/critical thinking" in their kids through engaging interactions at home? OR do we just outsource it to the schools and expect teachers to work magic?
Don't get me wrong, there's plenty wrong with some of our schools today (e.g. huge class sizes, overworked teaching staff, admin burden, lack of apprenticeship opportunities, overemphasis on academics, etc.) - I agree we can improve - but it might be more helpful if we zoom in on the specifics rather than to frame our thinking on the more high minded stuff like "creative/critical thinking" .[3:04 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: creating a wholesome environment for both students and teachers .....
[3:04 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: jc brought out a good point which we forget
[3:05 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: as stress as students are the teachers and resources are equally stress
[3:05 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: also why can't we have smaller class given population is smaller
[3:06 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: do understand some parents (again society factor) that dual class will be a hinder to their life routine
[3:31 pm, 21/02/2022] +Jospeh: I think it is a chicken and egg issue when it comes to how the Education system is designed and Parents' mindset/role.
I see the Govt/MOE having the upper-hand when it comes to influencing and setting the standards/curriculum and mindset.
How many people can afford to let their children fail school in the pursuit of their own interests?
I am a parent myself and I remember that up until my own kids entered Primary school, my wife and I were adamant that we are not going to be "like the others". We resisted tuition. We only sent our kids for "fun" and no-school related enrichment classes which THEY wanted to try out.
In the end, we also succumbed to the pressure, not just from the school, but from the kids themselves. Because they are feeling demoralised…
[3:40 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: ->> if the dun have upper hand den problem ->I see the Govt/MOE having the upper-hand when it comes to influencing and setting the standards/curriculum and mindset.
[3:41 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: but in the last revamp they listen but also decide to add in their little magical potion thinking is for the better .....
[3:42 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: if a system had work in the 70s-90s why change it
[3:42 pm, 21/02/2022] +Ah Heng: have it proved not to be working
[3:44 pm, 21/02/2022] +JC: Hmm I agree. Your experience is not uncommon at all and a good description of e SG parenting experience (I'm a father of 3 kids myself, my wife used to b a FT teacher) π
I think we all agree that things can improve but my suggestion is for us to focus on e more tangible, solvable issues where the cause-effect is more direct (e.g. stupid school admin, classroom sizes, apprenticeship programs etc.) - I believe these small incremental changes will make things better in the interim and also help bring about e bigger changes to mindset and culture.
I tend to think that cultural shifts can influence and change govt policy. So let's focus on what we can do.
I think the current system and policy is ultimately a reflection of our society. We might not like what we see in e mirror but that's still us π
[3:49 pm, 21/02/2022] +JC: Why r we so scared of failing or not being successful in e system?
Well because we don't have a welfare state. We copay our healthcare and education and things r expensive (housing, travel). We look at our neighbors and wish for things they have too, so we like to have more money for creature comforts.
In such a society, of cos everyone will b pressured to strive and to achieve stuff academically. It's e most straight forward path to avoid being destitute.
[4:46 pm, 21/02/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
We want to HEAR MORE from you!
We have had good feedback from this group, and we hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan π
[5:22 pm, 21/02/2022] +Smiley face: Small Hong Kong businesses say survival at stake as Covid-19 restrictions bite
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/small-hong-kong-businesses-say-survival-at-stake-as-covid-19-restrictions-bite
[5:23 pm, 21/02/2022] +Smiley face: Bus, train ridership in S'pore rises but numbers still far from pre-Covid-19 levels
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/bus-train-rides-rise-but-numbers-still-far-from-pre-covid-19-levels
[5:39 pm, 21/02/2022] +Timothy Low: With the increase of GST, I wonder if our salary will be increased as well?
[5:55 pm, 21/02/2022] +Umar M: π€£
[5:58 pm, 21/02/2022] +Rama: If not covered under PWM, wait long long!
[6:41 pm, 21/02/2022] +Joseph Yap: π¬ Which Budget 2022 measure resonates with you?
The uplifting of lower wage workers resonated with me most. Because there are urgent needs to address the wage gap by extending the progressive wage model to more occupations.
[6:41 pm, 21/02/2022] +Rama: For me, the tax on property and cars.
[6:45 pm, 21/02/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
⏰ We will be closing the chat in 15 minutes ⏰
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan
[6:55 pm, 21/02/2022] +Smiley face: 21 February, 2022
To: Our Distinguished and All Honorables
"In Search of Intelligence and The Paradox Of Success...I'm clever too (ε°ε©δΈη¬¨)! "
Who knows best?
The human brain is a complex muscle in motion. Many questions about how it works, interconnects and functions bug many top scientists and researchers to seek deeper understanding on how these billions of neurons are wired from the left to the right, from the fore to the back and up & down along the spine? What one's holding on today's mobile phones and computers are good indicators of the level of understanding of this thing - the brain!
What is intelligence (IQ) ?
In human, one's ability to carry out a specific task or a spectrum of tasks in a pre-determined time with an acceptable good outcome…
[6:55 pm, 21/02/2022] +~N: Resonates with and concerned about the implementation. Would it be pretty policies or will there be real meaningful impact?
π Invest in Our People
π Renew & Strengthen Our Social Compact
π Fairer & More Resilient Tax System
[7:00 pm, 21/02/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
We will be closing the chat for today.
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan π
======
No comments:
Post a Comment