While well-intentioned - and complemented by the important observation that “every School is a good school, but not every home is equal” (TODAY, Feb. 28) - the proposal by Nominated Member of Parliament Chia Yong Yong for schools to adopt a full-day curriculum seems poorly thought-out, and does not take into account either the logistical challenges or the likely effectiveness of the proposed change. Because if the concern is that students from well-to-do families have access to additional resources such as enrichment and tuition classes, and that the entrenchment of such benefits will only widen the socio-economic divide, then policies should work on two levels: First, and in the short-term, provide students from the other families with similar resources; and second, in the longer-term, level the playing field. Continue reading →