PUBLISHED ONJuly 01, 2020 2:09 PMByBryan LimThe inaugural GE2020 'live' debate gathered candidates from People's Action Party (PAP), Workers' Party (WP), Progress Singapore Party (PSP) and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) to field questions on their policy positions.
One of the questions raised was how the parties would improve social mobility and help Singaporeans who feel they've been left behind.
In his reply, SDP leader Chee Soon Juan reminded Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan that they hailed from the same alma mater — Anglo-Chinese School — and that they were taught to "serve others first before we serve ourselves".
Dr Chee noted: "The problem that I see here is that your Government has amassed and focused all the top schools, all the elite schools in Bukit Timah area. You remember Whitley Secondary School was moved out from there, Swiss Cottage Secondary School was moved out from there — all to move in SJI, SCGS, Nanyang [Girls' High School], NJC, Hwa Chong [Institution]."
According to Dr Chee, the problem is further exacerbated when families are told that they need to live within 1km of the school so their child can ballot for a place.
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"How many people can really afford buying a house in Bukit Timah area?" he asked.
And if elite schools aren't decentralised, Dr Chee argued that there would be a "widening" in society and "income divide".
WP's Jamus Lim, who is an educator himself, concurred that the education system needs to be reviewed.
He explained: "When I was in school, we used to have an educational system where there was equality of opportunities. But if you look at the schools now, we don't see that.
"And Dr Chee mentioned, one of the elements where we can actually bring about a greater equality is ensuring that the schools that are not the elite schools actually get a disproportionately higher amount of educational spending."
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In response, Dr Balakrishnan emphasised that one of the focuses of their "social safety net" is "uplifting less well-off families".
He added: "We don't believe in class warfare. We don't believe in sucking it to the rich. We believe in lifting, especially the less well-off, the most vulnerable in order to achieve equality of opportunity that you're aiming for.
"For schools, it's not a question of brand name or otherwise. It's a question of making every school a good school. And not as a slogan, but looking at the real investments which we put in the school."
Dr Balakrishnan also said that "every neighbourhood school of ours is a school that we can be very proud of anywhere".
"I'll take on any country's schools as far as we're concerned."
bryanlim@asiaone.com