As the days creep ever closer to the 9th of August, we begin to go through the same pre-celebration routine that we always see. Red and white flags plaster HDB flats, large billboards of men and women in white smile from along the roads, and the hotels around the CBD fill up as people try to catch a free glimpse of fireworks. We stand on the eve of our 49th anniversary of Singapore’s independence, and while Singapore is still going strong nearly 50 years on, I play devil’s advocate and propose that Singapore has certain deficiencies in terms of being a nation and country.
Arguably, one of the best things about our school’s location is the wealth of dining options available nearby. From the highly commercialised food franchises in popular student haunts like Nex and Junction 8 to the quaint cafes along Upper Thomson Road, one is spoiled for choice when deciding something so deceptively simple as one’s choice of cuisine. In this article, we focus primarily on introducing some of the more noteworthy stalls in the vicinity, with an emphasis on affordability. Many of these stalls deserve plaudits for their ability to dish up high-quality traditional local fare whilst remaining light on one’s finances, so do consider adding them to your list of after-school hangouts. Nonetheless, not all of the shops we reviewed turned out to be culinary jewels, so you may wish to patronise them with a hefty dose of pessimism in mind.
Photo credits to Madeleine Cheng, Sun Jiarui and Wong Shi Hwa (14S03O)
I begin this response to the article titled “Why I Rejected the Raffles Academy” by conceding that as a member of it myself, my attempts at a balanced viewpoint of the system might inevitably be clouded by some sort of bias. Nonetheless, while the author brings up fair points regarding “elitism”, unequal access to resources as well as what he believes to be inherent flaws with a pull-out academic system, I feel obligated, as one of those who did join the programme, to offer my alternative viewpoint on its merits.
On May 28, RI alumnus Nominated Member of Parliament Eugene Tan, speaking about the issue of meritocracy and inequality in Parliament, ignited controversy when he called his alma mater “less of a beacon of hope”. This brought to my mind Senior Deputy Principal Mr Magendiran brandishing a copy of Christopher Hayes’ “Twilight of the Elites” in the Multi-Purpose Hall during the January Induction Programme, and discussing whether the book’s argument, of America having been consumed by a “cult of smartness” that created ever greater inequality, was applicable to our esteemed Institution.
Beyond the common debate about the enormous gulf separating Rafflesians from the rest of Singaporeans, few of us have paused to consider the question of inequality within our own school and the broad divides that exist among Rafflesian students. In particular, I believe that equality within our institution has been undermined with the Raffles Academy (RA) programme, creating a curriculum within a curriculum, and a widening academic gulf between the haves and the have-nots.
