[T]his is a combative, carefully crafted, addition to a particular genre – the liberal critique of the Singapore model – which focuses our attention on the question of how such a successful model has impacted on ethnic difference and outcomes … and how it generates a ruling elite which has a tentacle-like grip on all aspects of nation-building.
[T]his is a combative, carefully crafted, addition to a particular genre – the liberal critique of the Singapore model – which focuses our attention on the question of how such a successful model has impacted on ethnic difference and outcomes … and how it generates a ruling elite which has a tentacle-like grip on all aspects of nation-building.
In summary, the most valuable aspect of the book is that it encourages Singaporeans and Singapore-watchers to evaluate the island’s educational and elite formation shifts for broader patterns and issues, and unintended side-effects. Anyone truly interested in eduction in Singapore, or in comparative education models, should critically engage with this book.