A few years back, there was this huge debate going on about whether scholars or those under bond should serve out their bonds completely instead of breaking them. Some people were in favour of serving the bond out completely, as in their opinions, they felt that if a company or an organisation paid for your education whether locally or overseas, the least one could do was to contribute back to the company or organisation as gratitude for the time and amount spent and pay back the dues.
Some others, especially those scholars who were serving their bonds, spoke up that sometimes a scholarship received might not necessarily be all glam and glory. Precisely because the organisation gave the scholarship, so one would be enslaved to the organisation, and there were times when whatever they were sent to study were not utilised when they came back. Not only that, as scholars, sometimes they were exploited. Thus, they felt that a six-year bond was too much if they came back doing a job totally different from what was stated and if it was a job they disliked.
I have never been a scholar in that sense, although I was bonded to the Ministry of Education on the basis that my studies in NIE and NTU were fully paid for by the Ministry. Thus, I had to be bonded for three years. I had to teach for three years, although in the final year I was waiting so much to get out as I was facing so many problems and it became so dreadful to even think of going to work.
For me, I am of the belief that since the organisation paid for your studies, the least you can do is to pay back the required time. So I got out only after my bond ended. Besides, if I broke my bond, I had to pay back a stipulated amount, or rather, my guarantors had to pay back for me, and I could not do this to them.
I have friends who are scholars, and most of them stayed for the duration of their bond. Some of them are happy with the organisation, so their entire careers will seem to be with the organisation. Some stayed only for the duration of their bonds, and resigned after that since they felt they have paid their dues. There are some who broke their bonds after a year or two and had to pay back a stipulated sum. Some of the situations got really ugly and complicated due to the fact that they broke their bonds. And there are some who went overseas to study and stayed there without even coming back to serve their bonds.
But actually what is the concept of a scholarship? I feel that a scholarship is essentially to help those really bright and promising youngsters to fulfil their dreams of studying in the best universities. Just like all the Indonesian and Malaysian scholars I know, who came here to study under various scholarships. If the organisation who gave out the scholarship pledges to education and really wants to help the creme de la creme of the population, then should there even be a bond in the first place?
Of course organisations will expect their own scholars to come back and "pay" them back, but on the other hand, if they sincerely want to help those bright youngsters to fulfil their dreams of a high education, then there should not be any strings attached. But I guess it all boils down to what type of scholarship the organisation is giving out and what type of bond and job scope the scholar will face. I can understand from the organisation's point of view that they would not want their money and time spent in grooming the scholar to go to waste.
Thus organisations should state clearly what the scholar will do when he or she completes his or her studies. It is also up to the scholar whether to take up the scholarship. Ultimately I feel that one should accept a scholarship from an organisation which he or she does not mind working for and will be in a job he or she will like.
If I ever qualified for a scholarship, my first choice would be to take up the Singapore Press Holdings' Scholarship and come back as a journalist. Second choice would be the MOE's scholarship and still be a teacher, because MOE really treats their teacher-scholars very differently from the rest of the employees.
Some others, especially those scholars who were serving their bonds, spoke up that sometimes a scholarship received might not necessarily be all glam and glory. Precisely because the organisation gave the scholarship, so one would be enslaved to the organisation, and there were times when whatever they were sent to study were not utilised when they came back. Not only that, as scholars, sometimes they were exploited. Thus, they felt that a six-year bond was too much if they came back doing a job totally different from what was stated and if it was a job they disliked.
I have never been a scholar in that sense, although I was bonded to the Ministry of Education on the basis that my studies in NIE and NTU were fully paid for by the Ministry. Thus, I had to be bonded for three years. I had to teach for three years, although in the final year I was waiting so much to get out as I was facing so many problems and it became so dreadful to even think of going to work.
For me, I am of the belief that since the organisation paid for your studies, the least you can do is to pay back the required time. So I got out only after my bond ended. Besides, if I broke my bond, I had to pay back a stipulated amount, or rather, my guarantors had to pay back for me, and I could not do this to them.
I have friends who are scholars, and most of them stayed for the duration of their bond. Some of them are happy with the organisation, so their entire careers will seem to be with the organisation. Some stayed only for the duration of their bonds, and resigned after that since they felt they have paid their dues. There are some who broke their bonds after a year or two and had to pay back a stipulated sum. Some of the situations got really ugly and complicated due to the fact that they broke their bonds. And there are some who went overseas to study and stayed there without even coming back to serve their bonds.
But actually what is the concept of a scholarship? I feel that a scholarship is essentially to help those really bright and promising youngsters to fulfil their dreams of studying in the best universities. Just like all the Indonesian and Malaysian scholars I know, who came here to study under various scholarships. If the organisation who gave out the scholarship pledges to education and really wants to help the creme de la creme of the population, then should there even be a bond in the first place?
Of course organisations will expect their own scholars to come back and "pay" them back, but on the other hand, if they sincerely want to help those bright youngsters to fulfil their dreams of a high education, then there should not be any strings attached. But I guess it all boils down to what type of scholarship the organisation is giving out and what type of bond and job scope the scholar will face. I can understand from the organisation's point of view that they would not want their money and time spent in grooming the scholar to go to waste.
Thus organisations should state clearly what the scholar will do when he or she completes his or her studies. It is also up to the scholar whether to take up the scholarship. Ultimately I feel that one should accept a scholarship from an organisation which he or she does not mind working for and will be in a job he or she will like.
If I ever qualified for a scholarship, my first choice would be to take up the Singapore Press Holdings' Scholarship and come back as a journalist. Second choice would be the MOE's scholarship and still be a teacher, because MOE really treats their teacher-scholars very differently from the rest of the employees.
2 comments:
I am the category that wasn't covered in the discussion... the scholar who is released becoz the company has no vacation :/
Although i was in limbo for a while (i didn't even bother to send resume in my final year b4 the company notified that they're not gonna take me in); i think things work out for the better
Maybe company needs to ear-marked positions b4 offerring scholarship so it could reap back the investment.
Oh really? Then why the scholarship in the first place?
But everything turns out well, didn't it? You uprooted and went somewhere with better opportunities and higher-paid jobs. So I guess sometimes things do happen for a reason.
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