Level the playing field for top local graduates

National University of Singapore graduates at their Commencement ceremony on July 14, 2019. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

In 2016, the National University of Singapore (NUS) Law school raised the number of students eligible for a first class honours degree from 5 per cent to 10 per cent of each cohort. Cambridge's percentage was 24 per cent then and that was raised to 32 per cent the following year.

According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, 28 per cent of students in the UK graduated with a first-class degree last year.

In the global competition for jobs, this matters, especially for fresh graduates without any working experiences. All else being equal, especially for those in the 68 per cent to 89 per cent range, which graduate would an global employer choose?

Are our local universities too stingy with awarding higher grades?

Ivan Goh

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