Freeze university fee hikes

FOR those of us at school, our worry is whether the Budget allocation for education will be compromised in these hard times, bringing about another hike in university fees.

Just last year, all three local universities raised their annual tuition fees by about 4 per cent. Some faculties raised their fees by an even higher amount.

Over the next two years, hostel fees at the National University of Singapore (NUS) will also be raised by between $10 and $40 a week.

Fortunately for me, the tuition fee hike kicks in only during my third academic year. But I have younger friends who are already forced to take up more part-time jobs or work longer hours to pay for their fees, possibly compromising their education as a result.

Pursuing tertiary education should be about academics, not worrying about - or working to pay for - fees.

Hence, some financial aid in this Budget for needy students, or a freeze on further fee hikes, would be very welcome.

Chew Zhi Wen, 21, is a first-year law student at National University of Singapore

Help youth in start-ups

IN THE current economic downturn, it would be an opportune time for young aspiring entrepreneurs to experience the adrenaline of venturing out.

But cost constraints are often cited as the main reason keeping them from starting their own businesses.

Apart from enhancing existing funding schemes, such as the Youth Entrepreneurs Scheme for Start-ups (Yes!), the Government could channel excess office space to create 'incubators' equipped with full secretarial support. This would greatly lower the barriers of entry for start-ups.

Entrepreneurship in Singapore could also be used to mitigate social issues.

One idea would be to award a type of Gini bonus - that is, to even out everybody's net income - when two young partners from different family or educational backgrounds come together to start a business. For instance, pairing someone with access to wealth with someone who has a great idea but scarce finances, in order to bridge levels of social inequality.

I, for one, am considering taking the plunge into a service-related social enterprise. A booster in the upcoming Budget will certainly be helpful.

Timothy Lin, 23, is a third-year student in economics at NUS

Give the poor bigger helping hand

I AM hoping to see more financial assistance for the bottom 20 per cent of Singapore households, to help them weather the economic storm and eventually achieve self-reliance.

Low-wage workers - or about 20 per cent of the workforce - are especially vulnerable to retrenchments because of their low levels of education. The risk increases with their age.

One-off cash bonuses like the Workfare scheme do not help them much - only those who were employed within the stipulated six-month period are eligible for it.

But they are most in need of urgent assistance, especially after being retrenched.

As they are retrained, the poor - whether working or unemployed - should be given financial help through continued rebates on electricity and water bills, transportation fees and, most importantly, helping them defray the cost of their children's education.

Muhammad Farouq Osman, 20, has a place to read arts and social sciences at NUS

Act to spur job creation

AS THE global financial maelstrom stretches on, it spells gloom for job seekers everywhere, as corporations freeze recruitments in an attempt to stay afloat.

With my impending graduation in a few months, I am concerned about my job prospects too. I still hope to join the world of finance, but my hopes are fast fading under the weight of the current crisis.

In fact, I could well be staring at months of unemployment.

With limited savings and a mountain of tuition loans to my name, such a scenario is clearly undesirable.

Hence, I hope the Government can introduce measures to help spur job creation in the year ahead. This may include investing in infrastructure or corporate tax rebates.

It will be welcome news for soon-to-be graduates like myself, as we enter the workforce in these uncertain times.

Wiliam Tham, 24, is a final-year business student at Singapore Management University

This article was first published in The Straits Times on January 19, 2009.