Too much emphasis placed on the value of foreign talents

Bravo! Another one stands up and expresses a sentiment that is just so prevalent in Singapore!
I refer to the letter written in by Ms Lin Jun Mei to the Forum.

More than three-quarters of my classmates are non-Singaporeans. I enjoy the diversity and interaction. However, this set me thinking why there are not more Singapore students as this is an institution in Singapore. Do we not measure up to the foreign students in getting a place in the institution?

I have not had the fortune of studying in a local university. But what i gather from my friends in some faculties in local universities is that the percentage of overseas students are way higher than that of local ones. By all means, these foreign students invariably do well because they are, obviously, scholars. Better than most of the locals, it seems. And this poses, in itself, to be a problem. Here you have local students struggling to keep up because the scholars and foreign students raise academic standards up to impossibly realistic levels. Of course, such competitiveness is good, but it is an unrealistic competitiveness.

I refer to the Minister Mentor's comments about rewarding those who stay in Singapore and those who contribute to the economy. Personally, i do not see how accepting so many foreign talents will contribute to this. They might do well undoubtedly, but the question is considering the long term implications of this situation. Will these scholars contribute to the Singapore's economy in the long run? Or will they end up going home to their home countries after finishing their contracts? Faced with such a situation, it is very possible that local students themselves might find themselves stricken with a stigma that these foreign talents are held in higher regard than themselves. Why should these locals be blamed, then, for desires of migration? After all, it is only human to seek greener pastures. Their dissolution with the education system is justified!

This issue has a far wider implication. As literacy levels rise, and the percentage of university graduates increase, the number of students qualifying for university will definitely increase. Are locals to be denied the chance because of this?

Where i am right now, is in a hostel with 60% or more Singaporeans. This goes to show how it is. There must be a reason why so many Singaporeans choose to come overseas. Labeling such people as quitters and people that 'cannot make it' is hardly fair.

More places should be opened in local universities for locals. I do not see any negative implications of doing this. Furthermore, more flexible criteria should be implemented to also give more student from polytechnics a chance. They, are after all, more versed in the practical aspect of certain fields, and certainly this is just as important as academics when it comes to entering the workforce.

This really shows the meritocracy effect of our society. I hope that the resource pool can be widened so that not only the best from Singapore and other countries but also the supposedly 'average' Singaporean has a little help in fulfilling their true potential.