Comparative Question Notes

0. WhatmorecanbedonetocombattheeffectsoftheSilverTsunamiinSingapore.Keyterms:● “SilverTsunami”-AgeingPopulationi.e.Singapore’sseniorcitizens,generallyreferringtothoseaged65andabove● “more”–comparisontowhatisdonenow● “combat”-tosolve,toaddress ● “effects”–issues/concernsarisingduetoanageingpopulation● “Singapore”-thescopeofthequestionisclearlylimitedtoSingapore Approach:● Fromthekeyterm“more”,studentsmustrecognisetheunderlyingassumptionthatexistingmeasuresarenotadequateorineffectivetoaddresstheproblemofageingpopulation.● Studentsshouldmentionexistingmeasurestojustifywhatmoreneedstobedone. ● Atrulyconvincingsolutionrequiresonetoconsidertherootcauseoftheeffect. Pitfall:Studentsmayoverlookthecomparativeelementembeddedinthequestion(“more”)andthereforemerelylistswhatisdonenow.ItisNOTaquestionon“WhatisdonetocombattheeffectsoftheSilverTsunamiinSingapore.” Requirementofqns:a. Identifytheeffect/impactofarapidlyageingpopulationinSingaporethatareoccurringpresentlyorwilloccurinthenearfuture. a. Explainthegaps/ineffectivenessofexistingmeasurestoaddresstheSilvertsunami–thislinkstowhymoreneedstobedonea. Suggestnew/improvedsolutionstotheproblemspresentedbytherapidlyageingpopulationofSingapore–linktohowtheproposedsolutionwillactuallyaddress/solve/reducetheimpactofarapidlyageingpopulationinSingapore Morecanbedoneto… ExamplesfromSPECTRASocial…supportthefinancialstrainonthesandwichedgenerationduetoaheavilylopsidedelder-youngergenerationratiocommunities. … supporttheelderlyexperiencingemotional/socialisolation,increasingthechancesofanunhealthydemisefortheseelderlyassocietytendstoavoidtheelderlypoorandtheirailments. ● Now:Singapore’sgovernmenthasbeenencouragingacultureofself-reliancethroughtheCentralProvidentFund(CPF)scheme.One’sCPFfundscanbeusedtomanageone’smedicalexpenditureusingtheMedisaveAccount.Eachindividualisthenresponsibleforhisorherownretirementneeds,ratherthanburdeningfuturegenerationswithever-increasingtaxes. ● Gap:Sandwichedgenerationfacehighertaxesastheworking-agecitizens,resultinginhighercostsoflivingforthem● Solution:Greatersupportforsandwichedgenerationintermsoftaxreliefandrebatesrelatedtoyoungandelderlydependents.Greaterfinancialsupportforeldercare{GIVECONCRETEDETAILSTOTHISSOLUTION) ● Now:Thereisagrowingcommunitynetworkstrivingtoensuretheelderlypoorfindsomemeasureofwell-beingin

termsofhealthandcompanionshipintheirfinalyears.It’sanextensivewebmadeupofwelfaregroups(likeHappyPeopleHelpingPeopleFoundation),charities,hospitals,andoperators(likeNTUCHealth)ofSeniorClusterNetworksinitiatedbytheMinistryofSocialandFamilyDevelopment.(source)● Gap:Elderlysuicideshavebeencreepingup,from95casesin2010to126casesin2014(source)● Solution:.Retirementvillagesretrofittedwithelder-friendlyfeatures,canbeestablishedtoallowelderlytoremainincompanionshipofpeersofsimilarageinamutuallysupportiveenvironment,sotheycanmaintainasenseofautonomyovertheirlivesastheyage,therebyreducingsocialisolationandthehelplessness fromhavingtobeoverlyreliantonvolunteersandwelfaregroupstoofferthemsupport..(source) Political…preventpoliticalandgovernmentalstagnationcouldoccurduetoalackofleadershiprenewalandinfusionofyoungpoliticaltalent. ● Now:Toavoidaleadershipvacuum,Singaporehasadopted asystematicandrigorousapproachtoleadershipsuccession.WithintheCabinet,fourthgenerationleadersinthelatefortiesandearlyfiftieshavebeenidentifiedandexposedtodifferentportfoliosandrotationstobetterequipthemforahigherlevelofappointmenttoeventuallyhelmtheCabinet.TomakeuptheParliament,20newcandidatesarefieldedeverygeneralelection,whichmakesupaquarteroftheseatsintheParliament.Mostpoliticalpartieshavealsoestablishedyouthwingstoattractandnurturetoptalentcapableofcraftingandexecutingpolicies. ● Gap: PMLeehadarunwayof17yearsintheCabinet,handlingkeyportfoliosindefence,financeaswellastradeandindustrybeforehelmingthecabinet.Hispredecessor,ESMGohhasalsoaccumulatedasimilardurationofservice.Intoday’sfastchangingcontextinwhichindustrydemandsevolvemorerapidly,allowingcandidatesalongertermintheCabinetbeforeassumingtop-tierleadershiprolesmaybealuxurywecouldnolongeraffordasexperienceoutsideoftheCabinetmayalsobeincreasinglyimportant. (source)● Solution:Institutionofintentionalleadershipsuccessionprocess.Talentdevelopmentplansinvolvingarobustmentorshipframeworkandcurationofcasestudiesandknowledgeareessential,sothatthetransitionandonboardingofnewgenerationleaderscanbeshortened.Evenwithlessnumberofyearsinservicetohonetheirpoliticalnous,theyarestillabletodeveloptherelevant

competenciesandpoliticalacumen. {GIVECONCRETEDETAILSTOTHISSOLUTION) Economic…mitigatetheproblemofeconomicstagnationandrecessionastheeconomyexperiencesamanpowerandtalentcrunch ● Now: -Thegovernmenthasthusraisedtherehiringagefrom65to67.(source)Withthehigherrehiringage,theelderlyarenolongerjustdependentsbutarealsoconsumersaswell,leadingtoagrowingsilvereconomy. -TheSkillsFutureMid-CareerSupportPackage,anothersetofmeasures,isintendedtosupportSingaporeansintheir40sand50stostayemployableandtomovetonewjobsorroles-Progressivecompaniesthatraiseboththeirretirementandre-employmentageaheadofthenationalschedulecanreceiveupto$250,000fromanewSeniorWorkerEarlyAdopterGrant.-AseparatePart-TimeRe-EmploymentGrantwillalsoprovideupto$125,000tocompaniesthatcommittoprovidingpart-timere-employmentopportunitiestoeligibleworkerswhoaskforthem.(source)● Gap: -Delayingtheretirementagefortheelderlyastheywouldbeexpectedtoworklongermayresultinpossiblygreaterstrainontheirphysicalandsocialemotionalwell-being-discriminatorypracticesstilloverand/orwithstandinglong-heldprejudiceagainstrecruitingmatureworkers,generallyviewedaslessproductiveandacostburdentobusinesses(source)● Solution: -Employmentpoliciescomplementedwithmindsetchangeintheworkplacetobemoreinclusiveandappreciatethelimitlesspotentialtheyeachhave,regardlessofageandothersuchparameters.Hence,thistwo-prongedapproachmayenableseniorcitizenstocontributesignificantlyforaslongastheyareableanddesireto.-Introduceacertificationschemethatrewardsage-inclusivecompanies,asAustriahasdone,isanotherwaytodealwithagediscrimination.(source) Culture/Education…addressgreatersocialdivisionsandlackofsocialcohesionduetoclashofmoralsandvaluesbetweentheelderlyandtheyoungergenerations ● Now:TheMinistryofHealthisworkingwiththeMinistryof Educationtoincorporateageing-relatedissuesaspartofthenationalschoolcurriculumtoinstillinouryoungtheimportanceofcareandrespectforseniors.Throughsubjectslikephotography,socialmediaandukulele,

studentsfromtheprimarytopolytechniclevelshavebeenengagingseniorsaspartoftheIntergenerationalLearningProgramme(ILP).● Gap:MedicalprofessorandSingaporeDemocraticParty chairmanPaulTambyahcommentedthattheyoungergenerationfeeltheydonotenjoygoodjobprospectsbecauseofolderpeopleholdingontopositions.ProfChansaidthatforsolidarityandharmony,olderpeoplecouldopttotakealowerpaypackagesosomeofthatmoneycanbeusedtocreatenewjobs.● Solution: ● Nationalconsensusthroughvariousplatformsofdiscussionandthesharingofviewsmustbesought● Greateremphasisonandpromotionoftheimportanceandvalueofintergenerationalrelationshipsthroughpolicymaking● {GIVECONCRETEDETAILSTOTHISSOLUTION) Templateforcomparativeessay What morecanbedonetocombat theeffectsof theSilverTsunami inSingapore? Introduction ● Definitionof‘combat’,‘SilverTsunami’● StatewhataretheeffectsoftheSilverTsunami ● Statewhymoreshouldbedone● Thesisstatementrelatedtowhatmorecanbedone. Thesisstatement Bodyparagraph1 ● Topicsentencerelatedtothesisstatement.● A.Citeexistingpolicyormeasureandwhyitwasimplemented● B.Hasitproveneffective?Explainthegap. ● C.Way(s)toimprove/enhanceit. Existingmeasure Explainitseffectiveness/gap Suggestedimprovement/Newmeasure

Bodyparagraph2 ● Topicsentencerelatedtothesisstatement.● A.Citeexistingpolicyormeasureandwhyitwasimplemented● B.Hasitproveneffective?Explainthegap. ● C.Way(s)toimprove/enhanceit Existingmeasure Explainitseffectiveness/gap Suggestedimprovement/Newmeasure Bodyparagraph3 ● Topicsentencerelatedtothesisstatement.● A.Citeexistingpolicyormeasureandwhyitwasimplemented● B.Hasitproveneffective?Explai