Singapore has emerged as a centre of excellence for education in Asia, with 66,000 international students from over 60 countries, offering a diverse and distinctive mix of quality educational services in a safe and cosmopolitan environment, at an affordable cost, and to Malaysians, one that is close to home.So I'll just highlight here, some of the pertinent points which readers may be interested in.
Scholarship for Malaysians
- ASEAN Scholarship
The ASEAN scholarship is offered to Secondary One (Form 1), Secondary Three (Form 3) and Pre-University One (Lower Form 6) students. All the scholarships lead to the completion of GCE 'A' Levels, renewed annually, "subject to the satisfactory performance of the scholar". There is no bond attached to the scholarships. - SIA Youth Scholarship
Singapore Airlines offers scholarships to students completing Grade 10 (SPM) for a 2-year pre-university course in top junior colleges in Singapore leading to the awarding of a GCE 'A' Level certification. - SIA-NOL Undergraduate Scholarships
Singapore Airlines and Neptune Orient Lines offer scholarships to students completing Grade 12 (STPM) for 4-year undergraduate studies in Science and Techology courses at either Nanyang Technological University (NTU) or the National University of Singapore (NUS). - NGS Scholarship (NGSS)
Offered by NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences & Engineering (NGS) toGraduates with 1st Class honours and a passion for research. The scholarship is aimed at attracting highly talented students to take on PhD studies in Singapore at NUS. - Singapore-MIT Alliance Fellowship
The Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA) offers fellowships to undergraduates in Engineering, Science and Computer Science, for pursuit of Masters and PhD from NUS, NTU and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Information on loans, bursaries and scholarships is also available here. - A*STAR Graduate Scholarship
Check out A*STAR here. - Micron Scholarship
Check out Micron Scholarship here. - Singapore Institute of Management International Scholarship
International students enrolling for fulltime studies at diploma and undergraduate levels in SIM may apply for merit-based schoarship awards. - Scholarships and Financial Assistance for NUS
NUS offers ASEAN undergraduate scholarship for STPM (or equivalent) students with excellent results. Alternatively, tuition fee loans are also offered to qualified students.
Singapore Education Services Centre
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has opened its 1st Singapore Education Services Centre to provide a "holistic experience to international students in Singapore". It's interesting that this task falls to STB! :-)
The centre will provide access to one-stop infomration for international students studying in Signapore and will cater to their welfare and well-being beyond the classroom... International students can drop by the centre for education counselling and research, or simply to mingle with their peers.It's located at YMCA Building @ 1, Orchard Road, right at the heart of the city.
"Study in Singapore" Tours
Gawd! Our own Ministry of Higher Education could do with a little bit of learning from our neighbours. They've actually created a specific "Study in Singapore" tour targetting at potential students to the country!
[Singapore] invites you to joina tour to learn more on the important aspects such as the education system, accomodation optinos and easing into the local environment. Comprehensively packaged, the tours are designed to help you make an infomred decision about giving [you] a world class education in Singapore.You can find out more about the tours at the Singapore Education website, or contact them at the Singapore Tourism Board office in Kuala Lumpur @ (03) 2142 7133.
The "Special" also had a page on frequently asked questions such as whether you require a visa and student's pass to study in Singapore (yes), how much does it cost to live in Singapore (RM1,800-RM4,600 per month), eligibility for part-time work (yes , with limitations) as well as a few other informational queries.
For those seeking a secondary education in Singapore - remember that not all schools in Singapore are "better" than Malaysian schools, and if one can't gain entry to the more reputable ones, it might just be better to stay at home.
For those who makes it to Singapore, remember that it's not all a bed of roses. While many readers have expressed advice and opinions to the contrary, I sincerely hope that some of you will return to play a part in making Malaysia a better place.
You know, this UM does not even know how to cite accurately and properly the source of its ranking. What a shame to want to be among the top 100 universities in the world!
ReplyDeleteWhen you are in UM, look carefully at the billboards and banners that glorify UM’s achievements: ‘The Times of London 2005’ is printed there as the source of ranking.
How stupid can UM be, unable to differentiate between ‘The Times of London 2005’ and ‘Times Higher Education Supplement 2005’ (THES 2005)?
No wonder it is in a mess!
*I was told that the billboards now have a piece of black plaster with ‘THES 2005’ pasted over ‘The Times of London 2005’. Ha. ha!
Regardless of the tour that is organized by STB, it is also the quality of the education there that attracts people, local & international.
ReplyDeleteEven if the Malaysian government were to organize "Study in Malaysia", it would pretty much be useless if they do not first look at the education system.
Anyway, good job here. :)
The supplement in the Star was very informative and I was impressed with their informational tours. What can I say for Singaporean organisation. Though, I wonder why Singapore unis lack education postgraduate degrees in all of their universities.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with RAKYAT. Plenty of students in NUS and NTU are Malaysians - those being denied equal opportunies in local education system. The way Malaysia treats its citizens really benefits its neighbour down south!
ReplyDeleteI think that a false dichotomy has been created between the running of the education system and the political arena. It's not simply a case of 'hey! the education system's not working, let's reform it! let's get rid of Ketuanan Melayu!'
ReplyDeleteIt would be unwise to neglect the goings-on of the political arena, especially the growing influence of PAS. Assuming the education system does get reformed to a pure meritocracy, a spike in the number of Non-Malay entrants and subsequently graduates will ensue, society benefits, but what happens then? Malays get disgruntled, turn their backs on UMNO and vote for PAS. The prospect of a Muslim Malaysia and its potential educational policies are far worse than today's scenario.
One has to understand that the government's hands are tied in today's circumstances, and most certainly cannot be expected to introduce a laissez-faire education system immediately.
glenn
singapore (half-malaysian)
I expect the government to introduce real affirmative action (choosing the Bumiputra candidate over the non-Bumi one if and only if their credentials are equal) and intensively reform the system to ensure that the Malays won't even need underhanded means like matriculation to get admitted to universities. Anyone who seriously expects all to be fine and dandy if we just dump the current affirmative action policies for a free-for-all system needs to get their head out of the sand.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that what's being done now?
ReplyDeleteNo, matriculation still exists which should be abolished and maintain STPM only.
ReplyDelete