Non-Constituency MP Leon Perera: Government office-holders and grassroots advisers can go into Ministry of Education (MOE) schools to officiate at events, hold dialogues on national issues and interact with students. But MPs in their MP capacity cannot. What I am arguing for is that we should balance up the exposure. Students should be able to hear first-hand the perspectives of duly elected non-PAP MPs on the issues of the day. Exposing students to only one set of views from speakers in schools is unhealthy for the development of their critical faculties and their ability to see both sides of an issue.

Non-PAP MPs can go into schools in their personal or professional capacity. Indeed I have done that before. But in that capacity, they cannot have dialogues about their role in the legislative process.