PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION SCHOLARS

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION SCHOLARS

1.

Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Prime Minister (a) how does the Government ensure that some of the scholars picked by the Public Service Commission (PSC) can be groomed to be entrepreneurs and that there is a more balanced distribution of returned scholars to the private sector; and (b) whether with a reduced PSC scholarship quota, there is a case for a joint public/private sector scholarship so that more of those who are eligible will stand a chance to obtain a scholarship.

Mr Goh Chok Tong: PSC scholarships are awarded so that the Government can build up potential public service leaders, not entrepreneurs. We are careful not to take in more scholars than we need. In 2002, the number of scholarships that PSC awards per year was reduced from 120 to about 50-60. This year, based on our manpower needs and the pool of candidates who meet PSC's requirements, PSC has awarded about 30 scholarships.

About half of each cohort of scholars eventually leaves the public service. We do not know how many of them become entrepreneurs. The Government will not stand in the way of scholars who wish to leave after a few years if they do not see themselves making the civil service a long term career. We hope that the training and exposure we gave them in the civil service is useful for their next career. However, the Government should not provide incentives, support or fall back job guarantees to encourage scholars to go into business or to the private sector. To do so is to go against the enterprising spirit.

Where there is a need, such as the development of talent and skills for a specific industry, the Government has collaborated with the private sector to offer scholarships, eg, those offered by EDB.

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