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Nov 29, 2008

Selecting the scholar

Rich or poor, no worthy scholarship applicant will be turned away by the Public Service Commission. But should family income matter when deciding who is more deserving? New PSC chairman Eddie Teo gives his take on the issue

By Sue-Ann Chia

MR EDDIE Teo makes no apologies for giving government scholarships to youngsters from rich families, including the Prime Minister's son. Why not, was his retort to critics who questioned the decision.

'If PSC scholarships are to bring in people who are suitable for public service, why should we discriminate against the Prime Minister's son?' he reasons.

PM Lee Hsien Loong's third child, Li Hongyi, received a Public Service Commission (PSC) Overseas Merit Scholarship in 2006. He is now studying economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States.

Mr Teo cites this example to refute suggestions that scholarship candidates from poorer families should be given priority over their richer peers.

The deciding factor is merit rather than money, he stresses, as PSC scholarships are not bursaries for the poor but a manpower management tool to bring bright people into the civil service.

Read the full story in the Insight section of The Straits Times today.

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