Movement for change Higher bursary for higher education
I welcome the higher bursary for higher education. However, I must point out that the increase of $44 million a year is a small amount, when seen in the context of the total budget of Singapore of $20 billion. 

The total bursary of $167 million a year is also small. It is probably the cost of 2 F35-A fighter jets. We probably need to replace more than 2 fighter jets each year.

Nevertheless, I welcome this change. I only want to put it in its proper context. 

The strategy of the government seems to be to allow the cost of higher education to go up "according to market" and to have subsidy to help to reduce the cost.

I prefer effective measures to control the cost. Perhaps there should be effective measures to stop lavish spending. Surely we do not need to have luxurious furnishings for our universities?

What could be guidelines on cost control? Perhaps we can select a few public universities and exchange information about the cost of providing education. The average cost could be used as a benchmark. 

We want to provide higher education to many young people, but we need a cost effective way of providing that education. This will allow the budget to benefit more students.

Tan Kin Lian

Vote - do you agree that we need to control the cost of tertiary education?

 

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