Daily Lessons from Life 18 May 2014 - Education and Pay Disputes ...

I picked two seemingly unrelated news reports to comment today - Education and Pay Disputes

"Education is about bringing out the best in students: Indranee - CNA 18 May 2014

SINGAPORE: Education in Singapore is about progression, building pathways and bringing out the best in students, said Senior Minister of State for Education Indranee Rajah.

She said this was reflected in President Tony Tan Keng Yam's parliamentary address on Friday.
Ms Indranee was speaking on the sidelines of the Asian Physics Olympiad held on Sunday at the National University of Singapore.

A total of 175 students from 27 countries participated in the week-long competition.

Ms Indranee said Dr Tony Tan's speech was a signal that excellence and substance in education are important, but not everything.

She said: "We use the term holistic education.

“That's perhaps slightly overused, but what we really mean is that you must come out of the education system being an all-rounded individual who's got good substantive knowledge but able to relate with other people.""

"Pay-linked disputes on the rise: Migrant Workers' Centre - CNA 18 May 2014

SINGAPORE: Cases involving salary-related disputes are on the rise, says the Migrant Workers' Centre (MWC).

In just the first four months of this year, such cases made up the majority of its caseload.

MWC said it will continue to push for fair employment practices and improve employment terms for them. For example, it wants salaries to be paid through electronic means, like GIRO.

The MWC said it has handled more salary-related disputes in recent years. These include issues like late payments, shortage of payments, and even non-payments. The numbers show an increasing awareness of avenues that foreign workers can go to for help. Other issues MWC handles include employment-related and injury-related matters.

Migrant Workers' Centre chairman, Yeo Guat Kwang, said: "One of the key measures we would like to propose is, really, to make it mandatory for electronic payment.

"(Lack of a) payslip is one issue. So, instead of just trying to put (producing a) payslip as a mandatory arrangement, it will be better to go one step forward to make it a point to actually go by electronic payment.

Mr Yeo noted that although the number of workers who come to MWC for help is "quite small" compared to the total foreign-worker population, he pointed to a "trend" of more employees from the same company reporting salary-related disputes.

MWC also said it will work with the Manpower Ministry to implement a model employment contract, where specific service agreements and key employment terms are clearly spelt out.

The contract will also emphasise the importance of skills upgrading for migrant workers by pushing for skills certification to be made a requirement for renewing work permits."

My thoughts:

1. well educated students will, hopefully, grow up to be productive and responsible adults. Some may be business owners who employ workers - foreign or local regardless. Hopefully, being responsible, they will not practice such disgraceful treatment of workers. Any self-respecting human being would not have done it;

2. for the errant employers, and any repeat offenders, there is no excuse and no mercy to be given if they are found guilty of exploiting the workers. In these cases, specifically the foreign workers. Many of them work long hours for a very low pay doing jobs that 1st world Singaporeans no longer aspire to do but necessary.

It is a shameful act and could even bordered on 'trafficking in person' offense if the FWs' terms of services had been substantially changed from what they signed on to what they are now being asked to do and how they are paid!

3. interesting that the authorities observed these come from one or two companies. I guess if the intelligence can be faster and better, perhaps speedier actions could be taken against the companies and prevent it from snowballing. We can ill afford 'workers' strikes' or any unrest or riot due to frustration boiling over.

Education indeed are more than just passing with good grade. It is supposed to shape the 'future leaders' of the nation.