Looking at Meritocracy in Singapore: 3A6 by Lee Jia Yi Alicia

What is one benefit of meritocracy in Singapore?

lee_jia_yi_alicia_a2_1 — 2025-02-09 07:35:44 UTC

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What is one problem with meritocracy?

lee_jia_yi_alicia_a2_1 — 2025-02-09 07:36:18 UTC

lee_jia_yi_alicia_a2_1 — 2025-02-09 07:49:07 UTC

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lee_jia_yi_alicia_a2_1 — 2025-02-09 09:43:50 UTC

lee_jia_yi_alicia_a2_1 — 2025-02-09 09:44:29 UTC

xinqi 42

2025-02-11 00:32:49 UTC

No. In my opinion, family background should also be a factor considered when it comes to merit since it will be much more fair to look at both since some are able to afford more resources while some don't. Their social and problem-solving skills should also be taken into consideration for their ability to work with others and think critically and creatively which indicates a high level of merit.

cecile&casey

cecile_zhixin_yan — 2025-02-11 00:32:58 UTC

It would be unfair to people lack of resources and education, giving the privileged ones an advantage. Those less privileged will struggle with opportunities. There might be a discrimination between the privileged and the less privileged so there will be unfair treatments between both parties.

yong liang

2025-02-11 00:33:17 UTC

no since meritocracy helps the good get better but does not help the weak

Jonathan and Wei Hong

jonathan_elliot_fong — 2025-02-11 00:33:22 UTC

Meritocracy does not give everyone a fair chance as it judges based on their abilities (we listen and we don't judge), and not actually by merit. Meritocracy also does not take background into information. For example, a child who comes from a poor family could be smart, but he can't focus all his effort on studies as he must take care of his family. A child could also be dumb, but his parents are rich and bribe the school to give him good grades. Thus, meritocracy is not fair as it only considers abilities and intelligence, not background, merit, external talents, ect..

Yoke Hean

2025-02-11 00:33:30 UTC

No, they should see their effort and wealth. If someone is already rich enough don't give them, give someone else who needs it more

Yu En and Hiten

2025-02-11 00:33:52 UTC

Meritocracy does not give everyone a fair choice as everyone have different backgrounds and issues and there are too many factors to consider. Like the Alice and Brittany example. Alice is rich and has tuition while Brittany has no tuition, and her family is having financial issues so the scholarship should be given to Brittany to give her an opportunity to excel.

Mulhim

2025-02-11 00:34:09 UTC

No, meritocracy is only advantageous to those who have the benefit of certain aspects. It would also negatively affect those who lack these aspects whether it be financial status, personal experience or popularity status.

olivia & lakshme

2025-02-11 00:34:48 UTC

Meritocracy does not give everyone a fair chance, as there is unequal starting points for everyone, not everyone is from a privilege background. Since everyone has different starting points, they will all have something they are good at and something they are weak in.

yong liang

2025-02-11 00:34:55 UTC

no , merit means giving up in the weaker ppl and only focusing on the strong , this is not good for Singapore since we already have so few ppl

Joy

2025-02-11 00:35:05 UTC

It doesn't truly give everyone a fair chance.

Successful people will pass on their wealth and privileges to their children and can perpetuate a widening inequality of opportunities. Meritocracies can lead to the misplaced belief that only their talents and hard work account for their success, neglecting the support they have received from others. It is not because merit does not give everyone a fair chance but meritocracy favors the rich even when everybody plays by the rules.

yurui

koo_yu_rui — 2025-02-11 00:35:15 UTC

No, because meritocracy does not include various factors that will effect it that will make it truly fair. One of these factors is starting points. Different people have different starting points which could cause an unfair advantage,some have more access to resources, better education, or stronger social networks

How Yuan and Brayden

linglongdingdongheehaw — 2025-02-11 00:35:19 UTC

No, meritocracy does not truly give everyone a fair chance because of unequal starting points, bias, luck, and other external factors. While it promotes hard work and competition, it often needs additional support systems to ensure fairness.

shreepad + soun

2025-02-11 00:35:28 UTC

Singapore should not rely on only merit. Singapore has built much of its success on meritocracy, but relying only on merit may not be enough to create a fair and inclusive society. While merit should remain a key principle, other factors like social mobility, equity, and diversity should also be considered.

Shreepad+soun

2025-02-11 00:35:37 UTC

In our opinion, meritocracy does not give everyone a fair chance because everyone has different sets of skills and talents. So it will not be fair to everyone.

Kai Lok

2025-02-11 00:35:41 UTC

No, meritocracy does not give everyone a fair chance as some students may not be able to afford tuition or workbooks to help them to study, even if they want to do so.

On the other hand, richer students can get the bast tuition, practices and help from their teachers as many think they have the most potential.

Yu En and Hiten

hiten_nagpal — 2025-02-11 00:35:45 UTC

No, they should not only rely on merit. Factors such as there background, their family issues and financial situation should be considered as these factors can greatly affect the opportunities they get

Isaac

wong_yu_teng_isaac — 2025-02-11 00:35:55 UTC

Yes it should as meritocracy is the most efficient system that also rewards hard work. Some people argue that meritocracy is not fair as people have different strengths and speeds where the learn new information, however I do not see this as a problem. Meritocracy simply means rewarding those who are successful without giving special treatment to the less fortunate, doing so would be unfair to those who put in hard work. Rewarding the successful is also beneficial to those who are not as skilled as them as they will strive to work harder and reach their level of skill. Not to mention, it isn't one test that defines one's ability at success, it is multiple tests across multiple subjects.

Mulhim

2025-02-11 00:36:03 UTC

It depends on the situation. Some situations such as appointing people to certain roles should use meritocracy, as prior experience in leadership determines who is best fit for the role as they know how to lead a team and thus will be able to carry out their role well. In other situations such as giving merits to people, Singapore should take in other factors such as financial status.

Qi Xuan

2025-02-11 00:36:09 UTC

No. People's finances should be taken into account. If they have great grades but little money they should be prioritized over those with excellent greats and a lot of money

Clarice and Zi Xuan

2025-02-11 00:36:21 UTC

No, Singapore should not just rely on merit. They should consider some factors like character and values and one's background as some people are born in a disadvantaged background, causing them to not be able to get the same opportunities like others. Beyond academic achievements, qualities like integrity, empathy, and resilience should be recognized and rewarded. These traits contribute to strong leadership and community-building.

Elysia, Rithika

venkateswaran_rithika — 2025-02-11 00:36:24 UTC

No,meritocracy doesn't truly give everyone a fair chance because each people may be in different situations (e.g. their family situation might be different or they may not be financially stable). Hence, we think that the government should take all these into consideration and provide scholarship according to that.

casey&cecile

cecile_zhixin_yan — 2025-02-11 00:36:30 UTC

Singapore should not only rely on merit as merit is only based on holistic development, which is based on studies and academically based. Singapore should give support to those less privileged families, by giving them access to resources for studies of even providing a fund for those people.

How Yuan and Braydne

linglongdingdongheehaw — 2025-02-11 00:36:38 UTC

Singapore should not rely only on merit but also consider social equity and inclusivity to ensure fairness while maintaining high standards.

Kai Lok

2025-02-11 00:37:06 UTC

No. Singapore should also consider the students effort and other activities other than studies. Sometimes they should get assistance based on family background, not their grades.

riya n jun hao

2025-02-11 00:37:09 UTC

Meritocracy does not truly give everyone a fair chance because starting points vary widely due to socioeconomic, familial, and systemic factors. Those from privileged backgrounds often have better access to resources like quality education and mentorship. Additionally, the narrow definition of "merit" can overlook diverse talents and contributions. True fairness requires addressing these structural inequities.

Jun Hao

2025-02-11 00:37:25 UTC

No, not everyone begins with the same advantages. Richer families can provide their children with tuition and more education and hence they do better in school. However the one not doing so well had no chance to attend tuition and study well.

Jun Hao and Riya

2025-02-11 00:37:33 UTC

No, Singapore should not only rely on merit. Factors that should be considered are the families' backgrounds and access to quality education as it greatly influence one's ability to compete in a meritocratic system.

Alan 21

2025-02-11 00:37:53 UTC

No. Meritocracy does not give everyone a fair chance as some families may be more wealthier then others, allowing their children to have extra resources compared to others, giving them a head start in life.

Alvin and Yoke Hean

2025-02-11 00:38:41 UTC

No, meritocracy only helps to make the ones with a lot of talent or those who do well in certain aspects even if they might not need it. It also negatively affects the people who really need it but cannot do well enough like people who need financial assistance and cannot afford tuition and external help.

Jonathan and Wei Hong

2025-02-11 00:38:51 UTC

No. Personally, I think that merits should consider other factors, rather than only relying on grades. Meritocracy rewards people based on their abilities and achievements, helping maintain high standards. Supporters say it encourages hard work and prevents favoritism. However, some argue it ignores social background and leaves disadvantaged groups at a disadvantage. A mix of merit and other factors like equal opportunity and diversity might create a fairer system. The real question is whether Singapore’s current approach is balanced or needs to focus more on these other factors.

Ruixiu and ryler

2025-02-11 00:39:23 UTC

Yes Singapore should rely on merit only. In my opinion merit is something anyone can achieve regardless of family background as some people are lucky to be born in a wealthy family giving them an advantage in life as they can achieve merit more easily as their parents can use money to help them to achieve it but if someone is from a poor background they can still achieve merit but they have to work much harder as maybe they have no money to pursue their studies and have to work a part time job to support themselves and the job hinders their studies but if you are hard working enough anyone can achieve merit regardless off any other factors that affect them

Caitlin

2025-02-11 00:40:10 UTC

I believe meritocracy does not give everyone a fair chance, as there some people who have been given a lot of help from other people, such as tuition or even some people who are rich, gifted with the ability to understand and learn their studies very fast. However there are some people who are very unfortunate, not gifted with wealth and the inability to understand and learn their studies as fast. These people can be hard workers that try to score better but they may still not score as high as those with the gifts or wealth to help them. So, meritocracy does not give everyone a fair chance

Alvin

2025-02-11 00:42:12 UTC

No as it only benefits the the people who accells and the rich who could afford for resources that help them get ahead. The background and financial needs of people should be considered as it can actually help those that need it.

xinqi 42

2025-02-11 00:43:16 UTC

If I could change something about meritocracy, I would also consider their personal value and morals since even if you have perfect scores, with a bad attitude it is not going to get you very far not only. It can also be given to people with the most leadership and their contribution to the school/community. This gives equal chances opportunity to all but also allows the selection range of candidates to be widen with more people given the chance of proving them selves not only those who are good academically

oliver

2025-02-11 00:43:24 UTC

No. This is because everyone has different resources from each other. For example, people born into rich families can have access to tuition and prestigious schools from a young age while the lesser fortunate don't have access to those amenities resulting in unfairness in meritocracy.

Caitlin

2025-02-11 00:43:36 UTC

no, Singapore should also rely on their background, since their background may affect their merits.

Isaac

wong_yu_teng_isaac — 2025-02-11 00:44:33 UTC

Meritocracy has a tendency to put people who are not as skilled in a system where it is hard to succeed for various reasons, mainly financial. Although abolishing meritocracy would be unfair to those who work hard, meritocracy can be tweaked to better level the playing field through government programs such as FAS (financial assistance scheme) and the Edusave good progress which acknolweges those who may not have the best results but worked hard, therefore motivating them to work harder without compromising the benifits given to those who worked hard

yong liang

2025-02-11 00:45:32 UTC

i would make meritocracy also be based on how the ppl act. like how kind they are and how much effort they are pitting in

cecile

cecile_zhixin_yan — 2025-02-11 00:45:37 UTC

If I could change one thing about how meritocracy works in Singapore, I’d focus on making sure everyone has equal access to opportunities from the very start. While Singapore is known for its meritocratic system, where people are rewarded based on their abilities and hard work, not everyone starts on the same level. Some might face challenges because of their background, family situation, or lack of resources.

lakshme & olivia

2025-02-11 00:45:43 UTC

If we could change one thing about how meritocracy works in Singapore, it would be recognising diverse forms of excellence and potential, ensuring success isn't just about who performs best, but also about who brings values to society in meaningful ways

Mulhim

2025-02-11 00:46:06 UTC

One thing I would change about how meritocracy works is by looking at constant academic performance for those with a low financial status. Those with low financial status tend to work jobs to support their families. Thus, constant academic performance for those with lower financial status indicates that they're able to handle academic duties and help family out too.

Yoke Hean

2025-02-11 00:46:27 UTC

It can be change to provide some support to those that put in effort but is still well off but more support for those who also put in effort but not well off

Qi Xuan

2025-02-11 00:46:43 UTC

Make it so that it prioritizes people who get excellent grades and put in a lot of effort in school but ACTUALLY needs the money.

Jonathan and Wei Hong

jonathan_elliot_fong — 2025-02-11 00:46:50 UTC

If I could change something about Meritocracy, I would consider extra factors. Here's the factors I would put each child through (in order of importance):

The effort the child is willing to put in
Family Background (Money)
Academics

Learning Difficulties

For example, student A comes from a rich family, has excellent grades, and is willing to put in some effort. Student B really wants a course and is willing to put in a lot of effort, but comes from a poorer family, and has average grades. I would give the scholarship to student B in this case, as she meets most of the criteria.

2025-02-11 00:46:51 UTC

if I could change something, it would be based on how people in Singapore would act and the effort that they put into something.

Yu En & Hiten

hiten_nagpal — 2025-02-11 00:46:57 UTC

One thing we would like to change about how meritocracy works would be by providing second chances. Meritocracy rewards those who succeed early on, but those who experience setbacks may find it harder to get back on track. To offer more flexibility and fairness.

This will encourage a more forgiving approach to mistakes, allowing people to learn and grow from their failures rather than being judged by them

Oliver

2025-02-11 00:46:57 UTC

Yes. Singapore has progressed so much as a society already without problem I do not see why we should stop using meritocracy alone. This system also means to award the hardworking and not giving the weaker ones special treatment encouraging them to work harder to better themselves.

casey

2025-02-11 00:47:07 UTC

i would change how it only caters to everything about results and instead go towards character and talent . as results is not everything if someone character is not developed . this meritocracy is bad in a way about how they define smarter student compared to the others

Jie En and hAo chEr

2025-02-11 00:47:09 UTC

For kids who may not be as well off as others, we should increase the financial support of the parents and increase it even further for those whose kids excel in studies

Joy

2025-02-11 00:47:13 UTC

Equal opportunities, making sure that everyone has the same starting point in the first place. The government can help lower income families form the start.

joyce

2025-02-11 00:47:26 UTC

they shouldn't only look at merit but also at skills and their character bc not everyone is academically gifted so i feel itll be more fair to also look at peoples character and skills.

Kai Lok

new25092010 — 2025-02-11 00:47:27 UTC

I would change the fact that many students that fail to go to university should get priority on their diploma related jobs, such as if one gets a diploma in social related classes they can get a job that is best suited in that diplomas area, granted they had shown significant effort. this can help them quickly gain experience to better compete with university graduates, which have a better chance at a high position currently

Keshanw

2025-02-11 00:47:38 UTC

Give everyone equal access to resources, which in hand is giving everyone an equal 'starting point'. This can help ensure that all students can have the same kind of education despite their different backgrounds and can bridge the gap between those with and without those resources

Caitlin

2025-02-11 00:47:41 UTC

One thing I would change about meritocracy is also judging based on how they act.

soun

2025-02-11 00:47:46 UTC

if I could change one thing about meritocracy, it would be to be able to recognize skills beyond academics. Like resilience, leadership and creativity.

yurui

koo_yu_rui — 2025-02-11 00:47:57 UTC

If i could change one thing about meritocracy in Singapore, i would decrease the overemphasis of academic achievements as the main form of merit and expand opportunities for diverse talents. This could reduce stress for students to preform well in exams and will allow a broader definition of merit in singapore

Rithika

venkateswaran_rithika — 2025-02-11 00:48:12 UTC

If I could change one thing about meritocracy, I would make it inclusive by valuing different types of talents and not just academics.In this way I believe that all of us will get an equal opportunity to succeed.

ruixiu

2025-02-11 00:48:36 UTC

If i could change one thing about meritocracy it would be that I would make it so that the requirements are equal to all and outside financial factors does not affect meritocracy to give everyone the equal chance achieve something regardless of background

clarice

2025-02-11 00:48:39 UTC

If I could change something about meritocracy, I would also make it based off non-academic achievements as well

Jun Hao

2025-02-11 00:48:42 UTC

I would consider their attitude of learning, character and skills as these are good values in a person and even if they did not do well, they had the correct attitude for learning and is willing to take up any challenges ahead.

Alvin

2025-02-11 00:48:49 UTC

If I could change something about how meritocracy works in Singapore, it would be to make it more fair to the people that put in more effort in improving rather then just focusing on those who did well for the end result. This will actually be more fair for those that could not do that well due to some situation and not only benefit those who can put less effort and get through because they have the money

shreepad

2025-02-11 00:49:01 UTC

I would only apply meritocracy to basis necessity such as education and physical skills. these type of things need to be tested on or else you wont be able to survive in the future

Ryler 34

2025-02-11 00:49:13 UTC

If I could change one thing about how meritocracy works, i would change how the government or school principal gives out chance. Instead of giving only it to the academic achiever, they should also give it to those in need. For example, those that struggle to meet daily necessities due to their lower income family. This leads to them having to help with family matters for more money by taking part-time jobs or some way to make money which restricts their ability to study well and hence not be able to achieve high grades. If meritocracy allows people from lower-income family that achieves average grades, think about the possibilities they could do without having to work another job. I feel that if they were to get a chance at scholarship, they would have more time to study and focus on academics instead of having to help the family to pay for their school fees. Therefore, i think that i would change how the government or school principal gives out based on meritocracy.

Darius

2025-02-11 00:49:14 UTC

If I could change something about meritocracy it would to prioritize the people who are at a disadvantage not only financially

Oliver

2025-02-11 00:51:18 UTC

Proved financial support who are doing well but struggle financially to fund their lives such as education or housing problems such that it affects their academics

How Yuan and Brayden

linglongdingdongheehaw — 2025-02-11 00:52:31 UTC

Singapore should provide greater support for disadvantaged groups, such as better access to education and resources, to ensure that meritocracy rewards true potential rather than privilege.

riya

2025-02-11 00:53:11 UTC

If I could change one thing about how meritocracy works in Singapore, it would be to place greater emphasis on equality. This means ensuring disadvantaged groups, receive additional support to level the playing field, such as more financial aid, mentorship programs, and access to quality resources. one more thing, I would integrate community service and societal contributions as key criteria in defining merit. This would encourage individuals to prioritize collective well-being alongside personal achievement. It would also broaden opportunities for those who excel in areas beyond academics or technical skills. Such a shift would create a more compassionate and balanced meritocracy.

Zi Xuan

2025-02-11 00:55:52 UTC

If I could change one thing about how meritocracy works in Singapore, I would want to this narrow focus of academics. "Merit" can also refer to one's values and character, and talents as values and character of the person is very important, since Values are the guiding principles that shape a person's decisions, behavior, and interactions with others. They form the moral foundation of individuals and societies, influencing how we perceive right and wrong. Singapore can give those people rewards that really stand out with their qualities and values, such as leadership.

2025-02-11 00:57:27 UTC

No. Because of the fact that meritocracy solely relies on the person's ability and academic progress, it would not be fair as another person could be scoring average marks but has no money for tuition and has to work to support his or her family. If the person got the scholarship she might be able to concentrate on her studies and score well.

2025-02-11 00:57:41 UTC

If I could change one thing about how meritocracy works in Singapore, I would look at their family background and and evry possible problems they face which hinders their ability to concentrate on education. Even if this would involve many students, i would still consider them for the scholarship .

2025-02-11 00:59:52 UTC

smart people can get to advance more easily

Wei Hong

2025-02-11 01:00:36 UTC

One benefit of meritocracy in Singapore is that it can motivate Singapore students to do better and it can help Singapore students have a healthy competition with each other.

2025-02-11 01:00:58 UTC

One benefit of meritocracy is that it provides fairness among all the unfair situation.

One problem of meritocracy is that it does not further consider the persons background which leads to unfairness to other people.