Economics of education and manpower development: Issues and policies in Singapore: Linda Low. Toh...
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196 BOOK REVIEWS Although the book’s conclusions are well supported by the evidence provided, alternative viewpoints might have been analysed in greater detail. It could have been argued. for example, that strong school management and administration in themselves are not adequate to raise the standard and effectiveness of schools in Fiji. Certainly they can be viewed as a catalyst. Because of the decentralized nature of education in Fiji, however, and the key role played by religious and community groups in the management and administration of schools, there is a clearcut case for socio-economic factors to be taken into account, and even considered of equal importance. Lack of adequate building facilities, desks and chairs. water and basic textbooks must in the long term have a very detrimental impact on school effectiveness. and therefore be given equal priority when considering the standard and quality of secondary education in Fiji. On the whole, and notwithstanding the above com- ments, this is a sound and well researched voiume. It is a welcome addition to books about education in Pacific island countries. PA’0 LUTERU University of the Sourh Pacific Economics of Education and Manpower Deselopmenl: Issues and Policies in Singapore: Linda Low. Toh Mun Heng and Soon Teck Wong. McGraw-Hill, Singapore, 1991. 246pp., S$62.95 (US$39). This book. written by three National University of Singapore economists, is the first to deal specifically with the economics of education in Singapore. The book aims to give students, teachers, economists and members of the public an economic perspective on education in Singapore. The book has two main parts. The first introduces theories of human capital formation, with discussion on issues such as rates of return, and manpower pianlling. The second begins with two chapters outlining the historical development of education in Singapore, and mentioning major policies and reforms. Subsequent chapters deal with the financing of education, comparison with other education systems, an appraisal of educational issues, and comment on future prospects. Several topical issues are mentioned in the course of the discussion: the government philosophy on financing of education, recent moves to increase the pace of privatization, especially through the controversial independent scheme, and the increase in tertiary level fees. However. such is the rapid nature of change in Singapore, that the book is already seriously out of date - new policies have been introduced, while others have been reversed. For instance, the government has announced the establishment of ‘autonomous government schools’, which will enjoy some of the features of independent schools while charging low fees. While the book promises an ‘in-depth economic treatment of education development in Singapore’ (p. 8). analysis of many issues is superficial. For instance. the serious brain drain of talented manpower is dealt with cursorily in one paragraph. Likewise, Singapore‘s heavy dependence on imported labour and manpower from neighbouring countries is hardly mentioned. Also, when analysing the increases in university fees the authors mention the value of loan schemes both in Singapore and elsewhere. but no data are provided on the number of students receiving loans in Singapore. Since the schemes have been in existence for several years, the data should be readily available. The format of discussion also poses some problems. For example, the independent school scheme is discussed in at least four chapters. None of these chapters gives a complete background of the scheme: each provides just a little background and a short discussion of its implications. This requires the reader to make cross-references through the various chapters to obtain an overall view. Many readers may also consider the comparative chapter rather shallow. In a book on the economics of education, it is surprising that there is no comparative analysis involving issues such as the financing of education, tertiary fee loans, and manpower planning approaches. Although some of these issues are mentioned briefly, they are not threaded together to form a basis for informed comparisons. The job of making meaningful comparisons is complicated further by inconsistencies in the depth of coverage of various countries. possibly owing to a lack of relevant information. The book also suffers from errors, both in editing and in fact. Some of the latter are quite elementary, and include the names of schools. At least nine tables in Chapter 8 contain errors. Some have simple typographical errors, others are incomplete, and worst of all. some have completely wrong headings. This detracts from the authors’ aim to make the book ‘very friendly to laymen’ (p. 8). Finally, while the book reduces the big gap in the literature on Singapore education. the work is more a srnorgusbord of issues than an in-depth treatment of any of them. JASON TAN Unitwsify of Hong Kong Examinations: Comparative and International Studies: N A. Eckstein and H. 3. Noah (eds). Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1992. This book consists of papers and prepared comments given at the VIIth World Congress of Comparative Education Societies in Montreal, June 1989. The first chapter is a useful overview by Noah and Eckstein of examinations from a comparative perspective. with examples from eight major countries. Frost provides a brief but interestmg analysis of why it is difficult to reform examinatioIls in Japan. Huang Shiqi gives a more detailed discussion of the situation in China, another country where examinations are now of great importance. In the second part of the book. Broadfoot summarizes criticisms of public examinations and goes on to describe the alternative of profiles, referring to the development of records of achievement in England and Wales. Sweden. on the other hand, is a country which has no national external examinations in the secondary school system. although standardized texts are in use and scholastic aptitude tests are being developed; Fagerlind explains the system of selection for higher education. The third part of the book will be of special interest to IJED readers since it is devoted to examination issues and policies in the Third World. Kellaghan discusses foreign influences on systems in sub-Saharan Africa and raises a
Transcript of Economics of education and manpower development: Issues and policies in Singapore: Linda Low. Toh...
196 BOOK REVIEWS
Although the book’s conclusions are well supported by the evidence provided, alternative viewpoints might have been analysed in greater detail. It could have been argued. for example, that strong school management and administration in themselves are not adequate to raise the standard and effectiveness of schools in Fiji. Certainly they can be viewed as a catalyst. Because of the decentralized nature of education in Fiji, however, and the key role played by religious and community groups in the management and administration of schools, there is a clearcut case for socio-economic factors to be taken into account, and even considered of equal importance. Lack of adequate building facilities, desks and chairs. water and basic textbooks must in the long term have a very detrimental impact on school effectiveness. and therefore be given equal priority when considering the standard and quality of secondary education in Fiji.
On the whole, and notwithstanding the above com- ments, this is a sound and well researched voiume. It is a welcome addition to books about education in Pacific island countries.
PA’0 LUTERU University of the Sourh Pacific
Economics of Education and Manpower Deselopmenl: Issues and Policies in Singapore: Linda Low. Toh Mun Heng and Soon Teck Wong. McGraw-Hill, Singapore, 1991. 246pp., S$62.95 (US$39).
This book. written by three National University of Singapore economists, is the first to deal specifically with the economics of education in Singapore. The book aims to give students, teachers, economists and members of the public an economic perspective on education in Singapore.
The book has two main parts. The first introduces theories of human capital formation, with discussion on issues such as rates of return, and manpower pianlling. The second begins with two chapters outlining the historical development of education in Singapore, and mentioning major policies and reforms. Subsequent chapters deal with the financing of education, comparison with other education systems, an appraisal of educational issues, and comment on future prospects. Several topical issues are mentioned in the course of the discussion: the government philosophy on financing of education, recent moves to increase the pace of privatization, especially through the controversial independent scheme, and the increase in tertiary level fees. However. such is the rapid nature of change in Singapore, that the book is already seriously out of date - new policies have been introduced, while others have been reversed. For instance, the government has announced the establishment of ‘autonomous government schools’, which will enjoy some of the features of independent schools while charging low fees.
While the book promises an ‘in-depth economic treatment of education development in Singapore’ (p. 8). analysis of many issues is superficial. For instance. the serious brain drain of talented manpower is dealt with cursorily in one paragraph. Likewise, Singapore‘s heavy dependence on imported labour and manpower from neighbouring countries is hardly mentioned. Also, when analysing the increases in university fees the authors mention the value of loan schemes both in Singapore and
elsewhere. but no data are provided on the number of students receiving loans in Singapore. Since the schemes have been in existence for several years, the data should be readily available.
The format of discussion also poses some problems. For example, the independent school scheme is discussed in at least four chapters. None of these chapters gives a complete background of the scheme: each provides just a little background and a short discussion of its implications. This requires the reader to make cross-references through the various chapters to obtain an overall view.
Many readers may also consider the comparative chapter rather shallow. In a book on the economics of education, it is surprising that there is no comparative analysis involving issues such as the financing of education, tertiary fee loans, and manpower planning approaches. Although some of these issues are mentioned briefly, they are not threaded together to form a basis for informed comparisons. The job of making meaningful comparisons is complicated further by inconsistencies in the depth of coverage of various countries. possibly owing to a lack of relevant information.
The book also suffers from errors, both in editing and in fact. Some of the latter are quite elementary, and include the names of schools. At least nine tables in Chapter 8 contain errors. Some have simple typographical errors, others are incomplete, and worst of all. some have completely wrong headings. This detracts from the authors’ aim to make the book ‘very friendly to laymen’ (p. 8). Finally, while the book reduces the big gap in the literature on Singapore education. the work is more a srnorgusbord of issues than an in-depth treatment of any of them.
JASON TAN Unitwsify of Hong Kong
Examinations: Comparative and International Studies: N A. Eckstein and H. 3. Noah (eds). Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1992.
This book consists of papers and prepared comments given at the VIIth World Congress of Comparative Education Societies in Montreal, June 1989. The first chapter is a useful overview by Noah and Eckstein of examinations from a comparative perspective. with examples from eight major countries. Frost provides a brief but interestmg analysis of why it is difficult to reform examinatioIls in Japan. Huang Shiqi gives a more detailed discussion of the situation in China, another country where examinations are now of great importance.
In the second part of the book. Broadfoot summarizes criticisms of public examinations and goes on to describe the alternative of profiles, referring to the development of records of achievement in England and Wales. Sweden. on the other hand, is a country which has no national external examinations in the secondary school system. although standardized texts are in use and scholastic aptitude tests are being developed; Fagerlind explains the system of selection for higher education.
The third part of the book will be of special interest to IJED readers since it is devoted to examination issues and policies in the Third World. Kellaghan discusses foreign influences on systems in sub-Saharan Africa and raises a
