The word “crossroads” is suggestive of hesitation and choice, and I would never have imagined Mr Lee using such a metaphor to describe Singapore. But Mr Lee has immense foresight, and although he is 90 this year (he was born on 16 September 1923), he remains cognisant of the problems Singapore faces.

Mr Lee is of the opinion that what the future will bring for the country depends on how its citizens respond to changing circumstances. If young Singaporeans insist on having more opposition candidates in Parliament, or ultimately a two-party system just for the sake of it, then Singapore is doomed to mediocrity, a fate about which he expresses concern and regret.

In his book, Mr Lee reprints a Thank You card from Mr James Ow-Yeong, a man he estimates to be in his fifties from his elegant handwriting. Mr Ow-Yeong expresses his gratitude to Mr Lee for his leadership which has allowed Singapore to achieve peace, happiness, progress, prosperity, solidarity and security.

Mr Lee says that it is only the older generation of Singaporeans — those who have been through the hard times — who fully appreciate all that the People's Action Party has given them. The young voters, however, take what they have for granted.

On the eve of National Day, former President S R Nathan was awarded the top National Day honour — the Order of Temasek (First Class) — in recognition of his many contributions to the country.

In an interview with Ms Yew Lun Tian, a Lianhe Zaobao reporter, Mr Nathan said, “Singapore still has a long way to go, and young people need to keep this in mind, and not do things that may impede the progress of the nation.” Mr Nathan is known to be steady and taciturn, and for him to have said such words shows the extent of his concern.

That Singapore's leaders have their own doubts about the country's future has given rise to my own doubts about some of its education policies over the last year or so. What happened to Singapore? Why has it lost its confidence suddenly? Singapore has become what it is today because of the due diligence of our founding fathers and a series of successfully-implemented policies. Why has the government started to doubt itself after a flurry of angry comments from citizens?

Singapore's success today is the result of leaders who wanted the best for the people, and who painstakingly implemented creative policies for their benefit. These policies were custom-made for the unique population demographics and circumstances that distinguish Singapore.

Our housing and Central Provident Fund policies have made it possible for everyone to have a roof over their heads, and even the poorest families now have net assets of $200,000. For education-related policies, we have compulsory education which sees children through six years of formal learning, and by 2020 forty per cent of every cohort will go on to study in a university.

I was therefore taken aback when I read in the Prime Minister's National Day message that the approach to nation building would be changing in order to create a fair and just society. Hasn't Singapore been a fair and just society for the past 48 years?

In May 2012, Mr Lee sat down for a three-day discussion with an old friend, Mr Helmut Schmidt, Chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982. Excerpts from the sessions have been included in One Man's View of the World.

When Mr Schmidt asked Mr Lee if there were any high points in his political career he was particularly proud of, Mr Lee replied, “Well, that I made everybody feel equal. I did not make this a Chinese city. I resisted the Chinese chauvinists who wanted to make Chinese the dominant language. I said, ‘No, we will have English, a neutral language for everybody.' And that helped unite the people. We did not discriminate against anybody because of race, language or religion.”

Over the past 48 years, under the guidance of the government, we have carefully and trepidatiously arrived at a state of equality between the different races, cultures and religions.

On 15 August Mr Heng Swee Keat, in his capacity as the leader of Our Singapore Conversation, sat down to talk to Lianhe Zaobao and The Straits Times. I was heartened when Mr Heng said that the changes were neither knee jerk nor populist. “If we went the populist route we would become concerned only with immediate problems. We would then find ourselves with contradictory policies, which would put us in an untenable situation.” His words eased my worries.

On the night of 18 August, as I listened to the Prime Minister make his National Day Rally speech, I took note of the changes that were to be made to education policies. First, all primary schools will have to set aside at least 40 places in the annual Primary 1 registration exercise for children with no past affiliation. Second, the PSLE T-score will be replaced by grade bands. The announcements further reduced my concerns. All my speculations had been misplaced.

The Ministry of Education still sees the importance of alumni, staff and teachers, volunteers, school management and advisory committees, and affiliates of churches and huay kuans, which to me is a just and fair policy.

Issue Five

This issue of EduNation takes a closer look at the role of chairing a school management board or being a school director. It also reveals the charitable work done for education by the Singapore Buddhist Lodge. The result of our interviews is a confirmation that the whole community needs to be involved with education.

Former President of the National University of Singapore, Professor Shih Choon Fong, once said that if a university depended solely on government funding then it could only be a good university, but if it mobilised the whole of society then it could become a great one.

What a bold statement!

For this issue we interview business leaders Mr Ho Kwon Ping, Mr Chua Thian Poh, Mr Sam Goi, Mr Lee Hee Long, Mdm Margaret Wee Bee Hoon, Mdm Ong Sioe Hong and Mr Ng Kim Choon to learn how they have helped in the development of their respective schools — the Singapore Management University, the six schools under the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan, Dunman High School, Hwa Chong Institution, Nanyang Girls' High School, Nanyang Primary School, Nanyang Kindergarten and Hong Wen School.

In our interview with the Singapore Buddhist Lodge President, Mr Lee Bock Guan, we are given details of its extensive programmes of reward and support for needy and deserving students.

We also interview 1986 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Dr Lee Yuan Tseh, who shares his views about the region's need to find a new and different path to sustainable prosperity. And Ms Tjeng Yan Hoa, the President of the Singapore Amitofo Care Centre, tells about how this Buddhist orphanage gives African children both a home and a hope for the future.

Han Language Centre celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year, and Principal Mr Ann Jong Juan reveals how he makes it a goal to hear his students' laughter in every lesson. In Inspiring Lives we feature entrepreneur Mr Loke Gim Tay who speaks about giving back to society.

Our contributors in this issue are: theatre practitioner Ms Lim Hai Yen on being a happy mother; entrepreneur Ms Phua Huijia on factors to consider when choosing to study in the United States; early childhood educator Ms Tan Beng Luan who writes about birthday celebrations; and Principal Mr Yang Ruiqing who relates the story of the eight persimmon trees. Dr James Li and Mr Christopher Burge continue to write for In the Classroom. These writers and articles add colour to our publication, which is something we are delighted about.

EduNation is a bilingual bi-monthly education magazine. As such, the language medium used by our interviewees and contributors will appear first and its translation will then follow. This decision has been made out of respect for our interviewees and writers, and I hope that our readers will both understand and agree with it.

As the very first bilingual magazine on education in the region, EduNation is in need of your support. If you have any feedback or comments, please feel free to email us at contactus@edunationsg.com.

十字路口代表了彷徨和抉择，我没有想到他会以这样一句话来描摹现在的新加坡。李光耀目光如炬，即便这几天他已经90岁了（1923年9月16日是他的生日），他仍然把新加坡看得一清二楚。

新加坡的未来将怎样，李光耀认为取决于新加坡人如何回应环境的变化。如果年轻新加坡人是不计素质，要求国会引进更多反对党议员，或最终目标指向两党制，他表达了新加坡势将成为一个平庸国的忧虑和遗憾。

他把一名估计约有50多岁姓欧阳的国人给他的一封感谢信，全文照登。欧阳以只有上了年纪的人才有的龙飞凤舞的英文书法，在信上对李光耀带给他们家人一个和平、快乐、进步、繁荣、自主和安全的国家表示由衷的感激。

李光耀说，只有曾经和新加坡走过艰辛岁月的选民，忆苦思甜，才会珍惜人民行动党政府带给他们的一切。年轻选民则认为现有的都是理所当然的。

国庆前夕，前总统纳丹获颁表彰民职人员卓越贡献的最高荣誉奖章——淡马锡勋章（一级）。

我阅读他接受《联合早报》记者游润恬访问的话说：“新加坡的建设还没到终点，年轻人必须紧记我们还有很长的路要走，不要做出阻挠国家进步的事。”又是心中一震，纳丹向来敦厚稳重，说出此番重话，可见他对现状的忧虑。

国家领导人的忧心忡忡，也道出了我对这年来教育政策不断改变的疑惑：“新加坡怎么啦？怎么突然对自己没有了信心？新加坡能有今天，都是建国领导人富创意的一系列成功政策所致，为何突然因为人民的气话，觉得一无是处起来？”

新加坡能有今天的成功，难道不都是这些以人民为本的领导人，挖空心思想出来的富创意的政策所致吗？这些政策都是仅此一家，为新加坡特有的人民和环境量身订造。

不说建屋政策，公积金制度，成功让新加坡人民居者有其屋，使最贫穷的家庭，也最少有净资产20万元！就说教育政策，我们的强制教育，确保所有适龄孩子接受六年小学教育，2020年还有40%的同龄生能读大学！

所以，当国庆日我阅读总理国庆献词说将“调整治国方针，建设更公平社会”时候，我疑惑地想：“难道这48年来新加坡社会还不够公平吗？”

去年（2012年）5月，李光耀和老朋友，1974年至1982年的西德总理施密特，在新加坡进行了三天对话，精彩内容收进《李光耀观天下》。

施密特问李光耀在任期间，有何事最让他骄傲？

李光耀说：“平等。我让每个人感觉平等。这虽是一个华人为多的社会，我没有选择华文为国家行政语文，而是选择中立的英文。在我们这里，没有人会因为种族或语文或宗教受到歧视。”

过去48年，新加坡人就是在政府主导下，以战战兢兢，谨慎自律的行为达到使多元种族、多元文化、多元宗教“平等”的境地，这是任谁无时无刻都必须谨守的。

8月15日我很高兴阅读了教育部长王瑞杰，以全国对话会主席的身份接受记者访问时说：“制定政策绝不能走民粹路线。如果这么做，将变成只忙着解决眼前的问题，结果你会发现自己自相矛盾，甚至陷入一个无法持续的处境。”他的话，让我心安。

8月18日晚，听总理发表“弃旧立新，开拓前进新路径”的国庆群众大会演讲，教育部分的改革，是小一报名拨40个名额予与学校无直接关系人士；小六会考积分改为等级制时，我又放下心头大石。种种猜测，总算都是过虑了。

教育部仍然重视校友、教职员、义工、学校管委、咨委，与教会、会馆相关等人士，预留40个名额给与学校无直接关系人士，这是一项面面俱到的公平措施。

本刊本期以学校管委、咨委主席、董事会主席，还有佛教组织居士林林长的专访为主题，就为了展示新加坡教育是动员社会力量一起合作的状况。

新加坡国立大学前任校长施春风教授曾经说，一所大学如果只运用政府的资源，只能办一所好大学。只有当这所大学动员起社会的力量，它才能成为一所伟大的大学。

壮哉斯言！

这期我们访问了企业家何光平、蔡天宝、魏成辉、李喜隆、黄美云、王秀芳、黄金春，听他们怎样为新加坡管理大学、福建会馆属下六校、德明政府中学、华侨中学、华中国际学校、南洋中学小学幼稚园、宏文学校等，谋策献议，以各种资源扶助学校成长。

学校来自社会力量的，还包括佛教团体居士林，我们访问了林长李木源，听他怎样推动居士林，每年捐献近百万元作为奖助学金，协助贫困子弟受教育。

本期的猛稿，还有1986年诺贝尔化学奖得奖人李远哲教授的专访，听他谈“亚太区必须走出自己的路”。还有新加坡ACC会长庄燕华谈他们如何给非洲孤儿一个家和一个希望。

今年是汉语文中心创立20周年，中心校长韩永元对我们说他如何“让每一堂课都听到孩子的笑声”。奋斗一生栏目访问了企业家骆锦地，他谈回馈社会“替天行道”。

外稿方面，本期有戏剧工作者林海燕谈她怎样做个开心妈妈，年轻创业者潘蕙佳谈留学美国要注意的三要素，幼儿教育工作者陈鸣鸾谈为孩子庆生的意义，中国行知学校校长杨瑞清谈校园里八棵柿子树的教育作用。李宏珉博士和贝齐老师，继续在“新学课堂”讲课。上述作者们多方位的视角，为本刊增添了繁花似锦的缤纷面貌。这是让人雀跃的。

《新学》是一本双语教育双月刊，华英文先后，以受访者的语言和作者文章的语文来决定。受访者以英语受访，文章就以英文先排，华文排后。来稿是华文，翻译的英文就排后。希望这个尊重受访者和作者的排版原则，能获得读者的谅解。

这本区域第一本双语教育杂志需要各位关注教育的新加坡和国际朋友的大力支持。读后有任何回馈，欢迎电邮 contactus@edunationsg.com 赐教。