Good English is for everybody

This year’s Speak Good English Movement aims to reach out to young people via social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and blogs. Is this the right direction to take, or are youths being singled out?
Code-switching is more practical
IT MAKES sense to target the movement at young Singaporeans, since they will be the next generation of [...]

A spot for Speakers’ Corner despite growing blogosphere

YES, we can – express ourselves with more freedom, that is.
I’m all for the liberalisation of rules at Hong Lim Park, a milestone in pushing the boundaries of expression here.
Yet it strikes me that this milestone is one of symbolic significance rather than practical impact – its time possibly over before it even began.
After all, [...]

Youth here do not take plagiarism lightly

A RECENT survey revealed that 49 per cent of undergraduates have plagiarised work while studying at the prestigious Cambridge University.
Even so, youth here are split on whose responsibility it is to nab cheats and the best way of dealing with cheating.
Of 62 respondents aged 17 to 27, some argued that the responsibility lay with [...]

Is Project Work too much effort, or worth it?

Project Work adds value to A levels, but grading needs to be fair, say YouthInk writers.
A taste of the real world

PROJECT Work gives students a taste of what life in the real world is like.
Working professionals are often assigned a problem, put into a team and expected to find a solution quickly – however vague [...]

Finding happiness in all places and the right faces

As Singapore’s happiest person hits headlines, YouthInk writers talk about what gives them joy.
Stop to smell the roses
AS TRITE as this may sound, I think this is the secret to being happy: Worry less and enjoy life more.
Singaporeans generally have it pretty good. We have an excellent standard of living and outstanding social infrastructure accessible [...]

Wanted: Heart and soul for Singapore’s next PM

What makes the perfect political leader? YouthInk writers weigh in.
Empathise, be humble
IT IS a given that the political leader of this country has to be of an excellent intellectual pedigree.
But brains aside, there should be a more human face shown by the holders of political office.
Empathy ought to be on top of Singaporeans’ wish list [...]

Aesthetic medicine: How youth face up to the question

YouthInk writers debate whether cosmetic surgery is really necessary.
We all lie for vanity’s sake
THE next time you judge someone going for a cosmetic procedure, consider this: everybody lies. Heels make us look taller; make-up hides blemishes; contact lenses give the impression of perfect vision.
We mislead, misrepresent, conceal. There is no denying we do a lot [...]

Bonded or broken?

When it comes to keeping bonds or breaking them, what are the stakes involved? Andre Oei speaks up.
IT MAY not be in disrepair, but I think it’s time for a relook at the scholarship system in Singapore.
As my graduation approaches, the hot topic among Singaporeans at my university is: Who has got the hottest job [...]

Can schools really be run like businesses?

Let schools choose own paths
IN AN increasingly competitive system, differentiation is key.
I empathise with the budgetary constraints that schools face in attempting to manage the breadth and depth of their investments in co-curricular activities (CCAs).
Therefore, it is not unreasonable for the administration to invest finite resources in activities that generate the best returns in the [...]

Should fringe event conform to mainstream standards?

The Complaints Choir aborted its recent public performances after the Media Development Authority said foreign members could not perform. Here’s what YouthInk readers think of the issue.
Dealing with a double-edged sword?

SECURITY, stability and sovereignty are the apparent watchwords of Singapore’s governance.
Sovereignty, I dare suggest, was the issue behind the Media Development Authority’s (MDA) decision to [...]