commentary on top 3 blogs
I refer to Fiona Cher’s commentary on the article “5 out of 100 points enough to enter varsity in Taiwan”.
With regards to this issue, I share her sentiments. The purpose of an education system is to boost literacy rate and prepare students for employment. The so called “cream of the crop” is selected based on criteria like the university admission requirements. They have to meet a certain standard to ensure their capabilities. However, when minimum university admission requirement is lifted, everyone will be able to get promoted even if they are not up to the standard. Hence, Getting into university and graduating with a certificate will be a norm.
Forsake quality for equity? Yes, it is essentially important to ensure that everyone is given equal treatment. However, this situation is similar to entrusting an arduous task to an incapable person. The result will not be ideal. Similarly, undergraduates would not form a high quality workforce and may not be ready to face the challenges in the competitive world of today. Hence, as compared to equity, quality should be preferred.
It seems rather unfair that students in Taiwan are able to secure a place in the university with such low aggregate. One of them even managed to enter the university with a score of less than five points out on average out of 100 for each of the four subjects. On the other hand, the education system in Singapore is so different. As compared to the situation in Singapore, students are required to ace every of their subjects to get into more competitive courses like medicine law. We are taught that only the better ones can “survive” in this competitive society where education holds a significant degree of importance. Only the “cream of the crop” can be promoted to higher education. Thus, we are constantly reminded by parents and teachers to strive and excel in studies to keep up with the changing world. Hence, I think it is not a wise idea to relax university admission in Taiwan.
Can poverty ever be eradicated?
According to Kamala Sarup, Kathmandu, in order for a poor country to be relieved from poverty, it must certain technological abilities. Therefore, a poor country must import technology that produces more and better goods and services for its own people and for producing goods and services for trade with foreigners. However, this requires much capital which the poorer countries are lacking in. Despite loans from organizations like WTO, World Bank, poorer countries may not be able to achieve success in technology due to other factors like geography, economy and polity. The fact is irrefutable. In some cases, in desperation to spur economic development and rid poverty, poor people's basic technological needs are generally overlooked in this process. Local communities' knowledge and skills go unrecognised, and they are given little or no role in choosing, controlling and assessing the impacts of imported technologies.
Though it may be difficult in the process of eradicating poverty, but we should be optimistic about it. I agree with Jeffrey Sachs that we can help people to become more productive through various means like improving health, education, infrastructure and soil. For example, in South Africa and Zimbabwe, they have benefited from the transfer of simple technological solutions such as rainwater harvesting, seed conservation and drip irrigation. With these methods, they would be able to grow crops more efficiently. In some other areas, community-based disease control initiatives like the Practical Action Eastern Africa's community programme in Kenya have decreased the incidence of Chagas disease and the population of tsetse flies respectively. They will be less prone to certain diseases and standard of living can be improved.
These transfer of technologies from other countries marked the progress in these less developed areas and these are signs of success in the expedition to combat poverty. Hence, we should be optimistic towards the success of eradicating poverty.
Are you for or against the death penalty?
Though many countries like Europe, Pacific states such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Latin America have abolished the use of capital punishment, other retain it. Countries like The United States, Japan, India, and Singapore retain the use of death penalty and it served as a punishment for murder, treason, military justice, adultery, drug trafficking, human trafficking and serious corruption cases.
The death penalty debate has led us to ponder on the pros and cons of capital punishment. Opponents of capital punishment may argue that death penalty is an infringement of human rights. However, we cannot deny the fact that death penalty has its advantages. It served as deterrence to serious crimes as the fear of death can deter people from committing similar crimes. Most criminals would think twice about committing murder if they knew that they are putting their lives at stake. Thus, it is deem necessary to carry out execution on people who have committed egregious crimes such as murders or treason.
As compared to life imprisonment, capital punishment seems like a wiser choice when it comes to the preventing a loss of innocent lives. There is a possibility that the criminals can be released early from imprisonment. This will endanger the lives of many others and people will fear that these criminals may strike again. We should not assume that these criminals would be repentant after they are sentenced. Hence, the death penalty is essential for serious crimes like murder.
Moreover, through the use of death penalty, citizens would be more confident in the government. For example, the impartiality of the Singapore’s government is portrayed in many drug trafficking cases. In 2005, an Australian drug trafficker Van Tuong Nguyen was arrested in Singapore for drug trafficking. Though the Australian government had tried to plead for clemency, the Singapore government refused to give in and punished the offender accordingly. He was executed by hanging. This incident proved that retaining capital punishment will earn the government a better reputation.
Hence, given the many advantages of capital punishment, death penalty should be retained.
The effect of booming economy on the environment
An example of such cases will be China. Its growing economy is taking an adverse effect on its environment. One of the impacts is the water pollution in China’s coastal waters. The water pollution is believed to be caused by spilling sewers which are threatening the areas reserved for tourism or aqua-farming. According to a survey published by the State Oceanic Administration, more than two-third of the polluting outlets in China are discharging more pollutants than permitted by the authorities. Despite so, the local paper in China, the China Daily, tried their best to assure that the pollution will not pose any threat to the seafood security.
From this example, it can be observed that there are advantages that we can reap from a growing economy like affluence. However, we should not neglect the disadvantages generated and the impact on our environment. Despite the assurance by the China’s newspaper, we should not underestimate the effects of such pollution. In my opinion, it is a known fact that large scale water pollution can affect marine life. This can in turn have an undesirable effect on the human population when we consume this poisoned seafood. Thus, it is unwise to be complacent and be assured. Instead, it is necessary to be on alert.
To prevent the worsening of water pollution, it is essential for the authorities to take action against the problem and devise a plan. Firms are polluting much more than permitted and hence, a more stringent measure should be implemented to step up the control on the issue of pollution. The world is already facing a climatic crisis caused by global warming and the effects are felt by people worldwide. It should be a global effort to save the environment and everyone has a role to play. Therefore, people should not adding burden to the earth by polluting.
with reference to
http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Asia/STIStory_145474.html
