foreign but local

(Thanks to
The Straits Times www.straitstimes.com )
Mar 10, 2010

Foreign-born teen scores for S'pore

By Hau Boon Lai

SOME rumblings of discontent have appeared in online postings over the fact
that Singapore's top A-level student this year was born in China. One Stomp
contributor cited the often repeated point that foreign talent, particularly
those from China, are 'hungrier' than Singaporeans, and will thus outperform
them easily. I would like to place this issue in perspective and hopefully
lay to rest unwarranted concerns.


First, I was not surprised to learn that Raffles Institution student Pan
Zixiang was the top scorer in the 2009 A-level examinations. As his General
Paper and form teacher in the first half year of his junior college
education, I was struck by his maturity and abilities. He displayed great
passion in whatever he did, be it his academic subjects or hobbies.


Zixiang actually talked about his love for chemistry. A fan of astronomy, he
would invite his classmates out for a night of stargazing, sometimes to much
rolling of eyes. Undeterred by the dismissal of others, he would cart around
his astronomical binoculars in a backpack already filled with books and
notes.


Such passion as Zixiang displayed is, I believe, one of the most significant
ingredients in achieving top academic results. Is this passion the same thing
as the 'hunger' that Singaporeans say drives China-born and other
foreign-born students?


If it is, it is surely not unique to foreign-born students. There are
Singapore-born students too who are imbued with such passion, as the many who
do well in some of the world's top universities show.


Some suggest we ought to be ashamed 'true-blue Singaporeans' are not the top
students in Singapore schools. It is true that students from Malaysia,
Indonesia, India and China regularly top Singapore schools. But Singaporean
students top the schools too, so what is there to be ashamed of?


Moreover, the presence of foreign- born students here should be a cause for
joy and celebration, not consternation. They bring diversity and strength and
also help engender friendly rivalry in the institutions they attend.


Singaporeans who complain about foreign-born students outperforming local
ones ought to consider that this happens even in India, where there is no
shortage of local talent. At an elite boarding school for boys in India that
I visited in 2007, the Head Boy, chosen for his academic and sporting
achievements, was a Nepalese. Instead of feeling jealous, his schoolmates
worshipped him, and the younger ones would ask him for his autograph.


Singapore has every right to be proud of having done such a great job with
Zi- xiang. When I first met him, I was struck by how Singaporean he was. I
could not observe any discernible difference between him and his
Singapore-born classmates. His Singlish was passable, if not impeccable.


The only reason I knew he was born in China was that, as his form teacher, I
needed to know more about my students and had access to his records. His
Singaporeanness should be no surprise considering that he has lived in
Singapore since the age of nine. But his Singaporeanness also indicates that
his talents were nurtured here, and that his achievements testify to the
excellence of our educational system. Indeed, I would like to suggest the
term 'foreign-born local talent' for people like Zixiang.


Foreign-born students are a welcome addition to Singapore schools. Many, like
Zixiang, are here to stay. We should regard the presence of such students as
a barometer of the high worth of our institutions. In fact, we ought to worry
if we are unable to attract such students to our shores for it will mean that
our schools are no longer up to scratch.


Many Asean scholars from Malaysia and other Asean countries return home after
they complete their education in Singapore because their families are not
here. The fact that Zixiang's family is in Singapore is a sign that he is
here to stay. Already a permanent resident and currently engaged in that very
Singaporean activity - national service - he is in a good position to
contribute to the nation.


The writer, a former ST correspondent and a school teacher, is currently
studying Malay in Malaysia.