Sze Meng Blogs; More on Scholarships
A new blog on the block: Random Thoughts on Public Policies, Governance and Politics by Soon Sze Meng:
something else:
Saw Zuco's extended discussion: "Wealth, Poverty and Scholarship" via Tomorrow. A quick first comment (maybe more later): the aim of the PSC scholarship is openly stated on their website:
quick mental note:
Distinguish between egalitarianism (i.e., concern for equality), social mobility and meritocracy; they are not mutually entailing concepts. There is no social mobility to speak of in a totally egalitarian society, one where there are no class divisions at all. On the other hand, the wildest social mobility is compatible with the most unequal societies, i.e., people can move from one class to another really fast. Meritocracy has both egalitarian and social mobility implications, but is neither and needs entail neither. Imperial China (in principle) was partly governed by a class of meritocratically selected (via exams) magistrates, but it was not egalitarian--e.g., those with merit and became magistrates were higher in status and power than the others--and what social mobility it enjoyed was not for everyone.
more on the PSC Scholarship:
Also received this from Sze Meng--it's a short paper by a friend of his detailing some of the perceived problems with the PSC Scholarship system. An interesting read included here for future reference (I am planning to comment on this and Sze Meng's own paper eventually). The writer himself has not only given permission for my reproducing it here, he has also deligently go through the paper again to correct typos and make other small revisions (it was written a number of years ago). Thank you Vaughn. [Will include more information about the writer as and when available, with the writer's leave.]
addition:
In reply to my request for a short preface to his paper, Vaughn replied with the following:
* * * * *
Distortionary Elements Of Scholarships
Offered By The Public Service Commission
By Vaughn Tan
SUPPOSITIONS
Given that the main objective of public service scholarships is to systematically maximise social utility by concentrating resources on those best suited to serve, only one supposition needs to be made for the purposes of this brief survey. It is this: the scholars who will best fulfil the PSC’s objective (and society’s) are likely to be those who commit to a PSC scholarship in full knowledge of these requirements and objectives. By this I mean those students who commit to a scholarship in full knowledge that it is above all else a public service scholarship in every sense of the word, one that requires a passionate commitment to public service qualitatively distinct in scope of concrete and moral responsibility from private engagements and remunerative employment.
In its current form, several elements of the PSC’s scholarship programme combine to reduce the likelihood that individuals with this public service commitment will prevail in the selection process.
DISTORTIONARY ELEMENTS
Prestige
The prestige associated with a PSC scholarship is not, in itself, a bad thing. This prestige draws those attracted to public service to apply for the PSC scholarships and creates a strong competitive pool. The result: A strong yearly cohort of PSC scholars. Does PSC want students who choose to become scholars primarily because of the associated prestige?
Marketing
The PSC scholarships are well-publicised to seem like good choices offering greater job security than the private sector and benefits comparable to the private sector. The PSC should market the scholarship as one which has benefits equivalent to other scholarships but which bears with it a public responsibility beyond that attached to other private sector scholarships. Thus, a PSC scholarship should be a hard choice that is also (normatively, morally) good, instead of a good choice that isn’t really hard to make at all. More emphasis needs to be given to the different kind of responsibility associated with a public service scholarship, and less to the tangible scholarship benefits that a public service scholarship carries.
Deferment of National Service
This constitutes a distortionary incentive. Irrational as it may seem, deferment of National Service can become a strong reason to choose one scholarship over another. In this respect, it goes too far in trying to be competitive with other scholarships in terms of benefits. It might be fruitful to ask what the motivation is behind offering male scholars deferment of NS commitments.
Information asymmetry
Scholars commit to scholarships without full or sufficient information about other career or educational options open to them. While this may result in larger numbers of applicants and a higher take-up rate for PSC scholarship, the PSC should seek scholars who have thoroughly explored the numerous career options open to them and in full possession of information about the costs and benefits of the available alternatives have selected the public service option.
Legal obligation of bond
The legal obligation of the bond creates the impression that it is the sole obligation that is to be discharged by the scholar. The moral obligation of public service is downplayed relative to the legal obligation and the structure of liquidated damages. Again, I feel that the public perception of the obligations attached to a public service scholarship are not well-aligned with the PSC’s intentions.
SOME THINGS I DO NOT BELIEVE
Shorter bonds
PSC bonds should remain pegged to other private or stat board scholarship bonds. A shorter bond period relative to other scholarships would be distortionary and attract some scholars to a PSC scholarship primarily for the sake of a shorter bond.
Courses of study
I do not believe that the PSC should allow free choice in course of study. I do believe that the PSC should be more flexible in allowing changes in course of study by scholars and have a broader view of the skillsets that different courses of study inculcate. This will have the dual effect of enlarging the range of academic experience across top civil servants, better preparing the civil service for a period of discontinuous and often unpredictable change. One possible change would be to leave course of study unspecified until the end of the first enrolled year at university. Whether this change will be compatible with manpower planning at selection level is something that only PSC can judge. If possible, this change will probably result in far greater scholar satisfaction with their chosen course of study and consequently greater intellectual engagement.
I was finally inspired to create a blog to put up the random articles I have written over the years. These articles are mainly an extension of my interest and passion in public policy. Hopefully this blog will also help to generate dicussions leading to interesting and rewarding discussions.Welcome!
something else:
Saw Zuco's extended discussion: "Wealth, Poverty and Scholarship" via Tomorrow. A quick first comment (maybe more later): the aim of the PSC scholarship is openly stated on their website:
The Public Service Commission (PSC) is constituted under Part IX of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore. The PSC's aim is to attract and develop talent for the Singapore Civil Service through the award of scholarships on the principles of merit and impartiality.In other words, though the PSC scholarship has, roughly, egalitarian and redistributive (and social mobility) implications, it does not exist and was not envisioned to exist for those reasons. Nor do I think that it needs to.
quick mental note:
Distinguish between egalitarianism (i.e., concern for equality), social mobility and meritocracy; they are not mutually entailing concepts. There is no social mobility to speak of in a totally egalitarian society, one where there are no class divisions at all. On the other hand, the wildest social mobility is compatible with the most unequal societies, i.e., people can move from one class to another really fast. Meritocracy has both egalitarian and social mobility implications, but is neither and needs entail neither. Imperial China (in principle) was partly governed by a class of meritocratically selected (via exams) magistrates, but it was not egalitarian--e.g., those with merit and became magistrates were higher in status and power than the others--and what social mobility it enjoyed was not for everyone.
more on the PSC Scholarship:
Also received this from Sze Meng--it's a short paper by a friend of his detailing some of the perceived problems with the PSC Scholarship system. An interesting read included here for future reference (I am planning to comment on this and Sze Meng's own paper eventually). The writer himself has not only given permission for my reproducing it here, he has also deligently go through the paper again to correct typos and make other small revisions (it was written a number of years ago). Thank you Vaughn. [Will include more information about the writer as and when available, with the writer's leave.]
addition:
In reply to my request for a short preface to his paper, Vaughn replied with the following:
The only preface that seems necessary is that my main objection to the PSC's scholarships programmes is aesthetic, not ideological. In its present state, it is an inelegant--by which i mean inefficient in the broadest sense of the word: costly as well as relatively ineffective--solution to the problem of recruiting the most suitable students for the vitally important work of running this country in the short and long term. (It is increasingly apparent that the PSC does not share my criteria for suitability.)
* * * * *
Distortionary Elements Of Scholarships
Offered By The Public Service Commission
By Vaughn Tan
SUPPOSITIONS
Given that the main objective of public service scholarships is to systematically maximise social utility by concentrating resources on those best suited to serve, only one supposition needs to be made for the purposes of this brief survey. It is this: the scholars who will best fulfil the PSC’s objective (and society’s) are likely to be those who commit to a PSC scholarship in full knowledge of these requirements and objectives. By this I mean those students who commit to a scholarship in full knowledge that it is above all else a public service scholarship in every sense of the word, one that requires a passionate commitment to public service qualitatively distinct in scope of concrete and moral responsibility from private engagements and remunerative employment.
In its current form, several elements of the PSC’s scholarship programme combine to reduce the likelihood that individuals with this public service commitment will prevail in the selection process.
DISTORTIONARY ELEMENTS
Prestige
The prestige associated with a PSC scholarship is not, in itself, a bad thing. This prestige draws those attracted to public service to apply for the PSC scholarships and creates a strong competitive pool. The result: A strong yearly cohort of PSC scholars. Does PSC want students who choose to become scholars primarily because of the associated prestige?
Marketing
The PSC scholarships are well-publicised to seem like good choices offering greater job security than the private sector and benefits comparable to the private sector. The PSC should market the scholarship as one which has benefits equivalent to other scholarships but which bears with it a public responsibility beyond that attached to other private sector scholarships. Thus, a PSC scholarship should be a hard choice that is also (normatively, morally) good, instead of a good choice that isn’t really hard to make at all. More emphasis needs to be given to the different kind of responsibility associated with a public service scholarship, and less to the tangible scholarship benefits that a public service scholarship carries.
Deferment of National Service
This constitutes a distortionary incentive. Irrational as it may seem, deferment of National Service can become a strong reason to choose one scholarship over another. In this respect, it goes too far in trying to be competitive with other scholarships in terms of benefits. It might be fruitful to ask what the motivation is behind offering male scholars deferment of NS commitments.
Information asymmetry
Scholars commit to scholarships without full or sufficient information about other career or educational options open to them. While this may result in larger numbers of applicants and a higher take-up rate for PSC scholarship, the PSC should seek scholars who have thoroughly explored the numerous career options open to them and in full possession of information about the costs and benefits of the available alternatives have selected the public service option.
Legal obligation of bond
The legal obligation of the bond creates the impression that it is the sole obligation that is to be discharged by the scholar. The moral obligation of public service is downplayed relative to the legal obligation and the structure of liquidated damages. Again, I feel that the public perception of the obligations attached to a public service scholarship are not well-aligned with the PSC’s intentions.
SOME THINGS I DO NOT BELIEVE
Shorter bonds
PSC bonds should remain pegged to other private or stat board scholarship bonds. A shorter bond period relative to other scholarships would be distortionary and attract some scholars to a PSC scholarship primarily for the sake of a shorter bond.
Courses of study
I do not believe that the PSC should allow free choice in course of study. I do believe that the PSC should be more flexible in allowing changes in course of study by scholars and have a broader view of the skillsets that different courses of study inculcate. This will have the dual effect of enlarging the range of academic experience across top civil servants, better preparing the civil service for a period of discontinuous and often unpredictable change. One possible change would be to leave course of study unspecified until the end of the first enrolled year at university. Whether this change will be compatible with manpower planning at selection level is something that only PSC can judge. If possible, this change will probably result in far greater scholar satisfaction with their chosen course of study and consequently greater intellectual engagement.
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