Singaporean culture places a large emphasis on education, evident in competitive university placements, after-school tuition, and what is jokingly referred to as kiasu culture. An aspect of this emphasis on education is language planning through various government policies. These policies are not without their controversies, such as the “Speak Good English Movement” which aimed to reduce the use of colloquial English (Singlish). With Singapore being a multilingual country, I was curious as to how these policies were enforced, and more broadly, the role of the private sector in supporting government policies.
A notable case is China’s recent ban on private tuition, reason being the inequality created amongst students and unfair opportunity. Similar topics of contention related to the relationship between the government and private institutions is the privatisation of the NHS in the UK. Applied to a Singaporean context, I could analyse the education system as well as the role of private institutions in providing access to education and fostering a certain type of study/work culture. Furthermore, with the influx of not only local but foreign students engaging with private education institutions, I could explore the effects of globalisation on equality and conflict. My political issue therefore could be along the lines of to what extent should the private sector interfere with government policy. This is of significance as there are mixed opinions regarding collaboration between the public sector and the private one. Criticisms include potential government bias, increased profit-incetive (leading to exploitation), and unequal access to opportunities across various communities. However, it is also argued that government partnerships with the private sector increase efficiency and drive the economy. I would be keen to further explore this relationship through the language education sector as education and language play a tremendous role in the success and opportunities of individuals.