Topic I: The Issue of Fair Educational Opportunities for All

Singapore is run on the principles of meritocracy. Since independence, we have been proud of a system that is run on the basis of merit, regardless of race, religion, or social background. However, due to the pervasiveness of pre-existing stereotypes, particularly directed at minorities, their progress in certain fields has been limited. Hence, the council will be expected to debate the need for greater affirmative action in the form of scholarships, to encourage greater participation from minority races. The council will also be expected to debate on as a community, we can collectively deal with these stereotypes such that our the integrity of meritocracy is best upheld.

Topic II: The Issue of National Integration within Madrasahs

In Singapore, Madrasahs are schools that educate students in a non-secular form, syncing itself to Islamic teachings and values. Although not compulsory to, a significant percentage of Muslim children hailing from devout families are educated through Madrasahs. These schools are independant from the mainstream education system and the Ministry of Education does not have strict regulations on what they can and cannot teach. The council will be dealing primarily with whether Madrasas should be allocated similar resources to mainstream schools and whether they should be dealt with in a similar fashion in the hope that they will be able to produce graduates of high calibre. Additionally, the council should be discussing the role of Madrasahs in today’s society, and whether their existence divides Singaporean society, and in that case, how to better integrate students from these schools better into society.