Abstract
‘Meritocracy’ lies at the ideological heart of social policy in Singapore, representing a key guiding principle in policy-makers’ visions of a fair, equitable Singapore. Within a Singaporean conception of meritocracy, any individual with talent and hard work can succeed, regardless of their social or economic background. In this chapter, I explore the texture of Singaporean meritocracy as comprised of interlocking elements of dependency and responsibility. I discuss how the dependent-yet-responsible posture towards the state has been historically constituted through education policies over time (1965 to present-day). In various ways, education policy encourages Singaporeans’ dependence on the state—notably, through its provision of reasonably high-quality, highly subsidised public education. The ‘dependable’ state provides a context in which individuals and families are expected to take responsibility for future success. While the terms seem antithetical, then, they can be mutually reinforcing and synergistic. I conclude by examining the policy challenges for achieving equity through ‘meritocracy’, going forward.
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Chiong, C. (2022). The Texture and History of Singapore’s Education Meritocracy. In: Lee, YJ. (eds) Education in Singapore. Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, vol 66. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-9982-5_9
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